Coho Salmon – Coastal SMU (Oregon Coast ESU)

Overview

Species Common Name Coho Salmon
Species Scientific Name Oncorhynchus kisutch
SMU/ ESU/ DPS/Subspecies Coastal SMU (Oregon Coast ESU)
Federal Listing Status Threatened
State Listing Status Sensitive

Ecoregions

Coast Range

Oregon's Coast Range, known for its dramatic scenery, is extremely diverse, with habitats ranging from open sandy dunes to lush forests and from tidepools to headwater streams. It follows the coastline and extends east through coastal forest to the border of the Willamette Valley and Klamath Mountains ecoregions

Nearshore

The Nearshore ecoregion includes a variety of habitats ranging from submerged high-relief rocky reefs to broad expanses of intertidal mudflats in estuaries and hosts a vast array of fish, invertebrates, marine mammals, birds, plants, and micro-organisms. This ecoregion encompasses the area from the outer boundary of Oregon's Territorial Sea to the supra-tidal zone, and up into the estuaries.

Special needs

Require streams with clean gravel, complex habitat, and cool temperatures for spawning and rearing.
Require access for anadromous migration.
Productive nearshore marine habitat that provides high-quality prey in sufficient quantity for rapid growth at time of ocean entry.

Limiting factors

Stream complexity.
Water quality.
Fish passage.
Riparian condition.
Alterations of hydrology and watershed function.
Marine survival.

Data gaps

Consult Oregon Coast Coho Conservation Plan and Coastal Coho Assessment.

Conservation actions

Implement measures identified in Coastal Coho Assessment with landowners and agency partners (NOAA, NMFS,ODFW, OWEB, Independent Multidisciplinary Science Team, Watershed Councils, SWCD, Wild Salmon Center, Coastal Coho Stakeholder Team).
Build relationships, partnerships, stewardship, and incentives to implement habitat improvements on private lands.
Continue restoration efforts to improve freshwater habitat conditions.