Long Live the Kings

06/06/2026

Forty years ago, a small group of fishermen, scientists, and dreamers asked a simple question: what can we do about disappearing salmon in the Pacific Northwest? The answer became Long Live the Kings.

Founded in 1986 from a hatchery experiment on Orcas Island, LLTK has spent four decades working at the intersection of science, collaboration, and community. From the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project to Hood Canal fish passage, Survive the Sound, and the Resilient Salmon Initiative...the work continues.

We made a film to mark this milestone. It tells our story through the voices of the people who built it. We hope you'll watch.

🎬 https://youtu.be/gNgA4qIUiPA?si=VwLWpdgslkpAxk5I

06/02/2026

Happy Salmon Day! 🐟🎉
With our partners at Pacific Salmon Foundation c we are sending a clear message: restoring salmon rivers can’t wait.

Around the world, local partners are restoring critical salmon habitats. Restoration success stories show us what’s possible. But we need more of them, and fast.

Join us today to celebrate salmon and raise awareness of the threats they face! It will take all of us to ensure healthy salmon for future generations.

Share the flag and use the hashtag .

05/28/2026

On International Salmon Day, June 1, join a global moment to celebrate salmon, raise awareness of the threats they face, and highlight the work that is making a difference.

This year's focus is on restoring salmon rivers and reviving vital habitat, part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

Take the poll at https://ow.ly/Tn8A50Z4XTT to share what salmon mean to you and get ready to raise the flag on social media on June 1.

05/28/2026

🐟 We're growing our team and we need your help spreading the word!

Long Live the Kings is hiring a Major Gifts Officer to deepen relationships with the donors who make our salmon recovery work possible. If you or someone you know is passionate about the Pacific Northwest and has a gift for building meaningful connections, we want to hear from you.

This role offers the chance to work alongside dedicated scientists, hatchery operators, and habitat restoration teams doing the most impactful conservation in the region and to connect generous donors directly to that work.

Find more details at https://lltk.org/careers/major-gifts-officer/. Priority deadline is June 21, 2026. 💚

05/22/2026

Tomorrow (Saturday, May 26) is World Fish Migration Day! Just like returning Pink Salmon, this event only appears every 2 years. The theme this year is "We are river people" and there are events happening in over 100 countries to help unite communities while celebrating and protecting local fish populations.

Learn more at www.worldfishmigrationday.com and help protect salmon and other migratory fish!

Rivers have always been connecting us, just like they connect fish. When we protect a free-flowing river, we protect not just the fish, we protect everyone. We are connected to fish, rivers and each other. We are culturally and spiritually connected. We are river people.

05/19/2026

🐟 Don't forget! Our first Knowledge Bites webinar is tomorrow at noon PDT!

Bring your lunch and join Jacques White, Shaara Ainsley, Peggen Frank, and Jason Hwang as they introduce the Resilient Salmon Initiative and share what's ahead for salmon recovery across Western North America.

It's free, it's an hour, and it's a great way to get connected with this growing regional effort.

📅 Wednesday, May 20 | 12–1 pm PDT
🔗 Register here: https://ow.ly/gpM850Z1RMi

Tag a friend who should join! 👇

05/15/2026

If you've ever played 'Survive the Sound', then you know exactly how dangerous the migration to the ocean is for our local salmon and steelhead. Join us as we pay our respects to some of the unlucky fish that did not survive this year's migration.

After taking a moment of silence in honor of these fallen competitors, consider what you could do to help improve the odds for future generations of fish. Supporting organizations like Long Live the Kings, advocating for salmon in your communities, or even implementing more salmon-friendly products and behaviors into your everyday life can be great ways to make a difference. When salmon thrive, so do people!

05/14/2026

🐟 Lunch plans on May 20? Make it a Knowledge Bite.

Join Long Live the Kings for the first in our new Knowledge Bites webinar series: an informal lunch-and-learn where we will introduce the Resilient Salmon Initiative (RSI).\

We've just finished a Strategic Plan and Action Plan for RSI, and we can't wait to share what's ahead for salmon conservation across Western North America!

Hear from Peggen Frank, Salmon Defense, Jason Hwang, Pacific Salmon Foundation, and both Shaara Ainsley and Jacques White from Long Live the Kings about the initiative and what excites them about this regional collaboration.

📅 May 20 | 12–1 pm PDT
🔗 Register here: https://forms.gle/DgUF7arhv8eWxPw28
Tag a salmon friend who should join! 👇

05/12/2026

It's herring season again at Long Live the Kings! There are multiple groups of herring throughout the region that spawn at different times, and we are continuing our work with the Nisqually Indian Tribe to document and study the local populations of these vital forage fish. As one of the favorite foods for growing salmon, herring are an incredibly important species for us to learn about and protect.

Using specialized rods that can catch up to 8 fish at once on a single line, we 'jig' for herring each week and take detailed measurements and samples from each specimen. This includes genetic analysis to identify which population they belong to, removing their stomach contents to study what they've been eating, and assessing their go**ds along with their overall size and weight to determine where in the spawning process each fish is.

All of this information helps us understand when and where these fish are reproducing, as well as how we can help improve conditions for both herring and salmon. Not to mention, it's just nice to spend time out fishing in the beautiful waters of the Nisqually Reach!

05/08/2026

Big news! We have a new team member! 🎉

Meet Mackenzie, our newest addition at Long Live the Kings. She brings nearly a decade of wetland restoration and policy experience to the table, with a specialization in coastal blue carbon and a track record of interdisciplinary work across the U.S., Africa, and South America.

Focused on the South Puget Sound and Nisqually Watershed, Mackenzie will be working across sectors with co-managers, governments, and communities to make sure science and local knowledge are driving recovery efforts that actually last.

We're lucky to have her. Welcome to the team, Mackenzie! 🌿