| Fall is in the air, and as the Wild Salmon return to our rivers the Pacific Northwest Salmon Center is preparing for the 5th annual Wild Salmon Hall of Fame celebration. The gala award ceremony will be held Sept.22, at the Kitsap Conference Center in Bremerton.
Nominations were solicited from organizations and individuals across the Pacific Northwest with a number of dedicated people being submitted for the award. The nominees were then narrowed down to five finalists, one of who will be chosen for induction into the Wild Salmon Hall of Fame. The winner will receive the prestigious award honoring their dedication to the restoration and protection of Wild Salmon. The award is a bronze casting of a remarkable sculpture by Dr. Al Adams, depicting the spawning dance of Wild Salmon.
The 2007 Wild Salmon Hall of Fame final nominees are:
Peter Bergman: With a lifetime of work dedicated to Salmon programs, he is the co-inventor of the coded wire tag, which revolutionized the ability to track salmon.
Bill Bradbury: Oregon’s Secretary of State has a public career full of Salmon, both as an elected official and previous Executive Director of “For the Sake of Salmon.”
Jim Kramer: He has spent decades bringing people together to protect Wild Salmon and Puget Sound, and created the non-profit organization Shared Strategy for Puget Sound.
Jim Lichatowich: The author of the award winning book Salmon without Rivers: A History of the Pacific Salmon Crisis, he has worked on Pacific Salmon issues for 37 years.
Anne Mosness: A commercial fisherwoman who developed the “Go Wild Campaign” to educate others about the economic value and health benefits of Wild Salmon.
The winner will be selected by the Wild Salmon Hall of Fame Final Selections Committee:
Charles Corrarino, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Program Manager
Congressman Norm Dicks
Billy Frank Jr., Chairman, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
Jeff Koenings, Director of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Bill Ruckelshaus, Chairman, Salmon Recovery Funding Board
The public is invited to the event honoring these five people who work so hard for our Wild Salmon. Seating is limited, tickets are $55 and can be obtained through the Pacific Northwest Salmon Center at 360-275-2763. The evening includes a live band, drinks, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, dessert and a program about the final nominees and winner. Read more about the event, nominees and previous winners at www.pnwsalmoncenter.org/wshf.xml. | 