New in Salish Sea Currents: What is killing young salmon in Puget Sound?

At one point, dams and habitat destruction had all but wiped out several species of salmon across the Pacific Northwest. But even as billions of dollars in restoration efforts have started to make an impact, scientists in the Salish Sea are noticing a new problem: just offshore, young salmon are dying in large numbers.

That's the topic of the latest feature in our Salish Sea Currents series. Megsie Siple reports on high mortality among several species of salmon as they reach the open waters of Puget Sound. Coho, Chinook and steelhead have all declined significantly in Puget Sound over the past 20 to 30 years, and the article looks at potential causes such as low growth rates and increased predation. Next week, we'll follow up with a look at some of the survival bottlenecks for salmon in the freshwater.