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Mid-Columbia Fisheries is one of 14 Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups (RFEGs) working on the front lines of salmon recovery across Washington.
Together, these groups are managing more than $100 million in active restoration projects, but today, that work is at risk.
Despite decades of proven impact, RFEGs have long operated with minimal base operational funding. Now, that fragile model is breaking. Federal support dropped sharply in 2024 and disappeared entirely in 2025, cutting base funding by almost half. This spring, Washington State cut support to RFEGs from the state general fund. Combined, these losses amount to a 50% reduction in base operational funding since 2023—even as inflation and increasingly complex restoration challenges drive costs higher.
These significant budget cuts reduce our ability to deliver projects, leading to the loss of valuable community connection programs, such as volunteer restoration and hands-on salmon education. These vital elements, central to the RFEG mission, were supported by multiple state and federal grant programs that have been eliminated in the last year. MCF continues to look for new grant programs to replace these losses.
When it comes to salmon recovery, RFEGs have long punched above their weight. These community-based organizations are known for stretching budgets to achieve the biggest possible benefit for every dollar invested in salmon recovery. RFEGs restore critical habitat, improve fish passage, and engage the next generation of conservation leaders.
Mid-Columbia Fisheries and other RFEGs remain committed to our missions: rebuilding self-sustaining salmon and steelhead populations through high-impact, locally driven work. But we can’t do it alone.
Here’s how you can help:
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Donate to support on-the-ground restoration
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Volunteer in your local watershed!
- Share the importance of the work we do with your legislators.
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Stay connected and spread the word
Salmon recovery in Washington has always depended on the community. Now more than ever, that community includes you.
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