THE C.O.R.E. PROJECT

Chinook, Orca
Recovery Education

C.O.R.E. is a public/private partnership project to rear, study and release Chinook salmon at and from temporary holding facilities in locations throughout Puget Sound, with the support of the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife and Tribal Co-Managers.

C.O.R.E. utilizes its partnerships with SAMI (Science and Math Institute), SOTA (School of the Arts) and IDEA (Industry, Design, Engineering and Art) of Tacoma Public Schools, Chief Leschi High School, and our local tribes to conduct and share Salmon and Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) educational programs and salmon culture and history. The partnerships will also provide information and raise public awareness about Southern Resident Orca initiatives and actions. Northwest Salmon Research is engaging the appropriate co-managers to coordinate this valuable education, research and public awareness project.

SAMI High School- Salmon Education & Research

Beginning in early spring of 2019, students at SAMI (a Tacoma Public Schools program) innovative high school were immersed in hands-on, real world marine biology projects guided by a salmon-focused curriculum of marine biology, local tribal culture and history. Students, faculty and volunteers will be performing hands-on research activities while participating in educational and research programs under the guidance and direction of accredited researchers, instructors, fishery biologists, tribal partners, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) personnel, other professionals and experts with assistance from Northwest Salmon Research (NWSR) its partners and volunteers.

The curriculum and results from the body of educational information created will be extended and shared to the community in various ways, including through a collaboration with Indian Tribes Schools, with an emphasis on Tribal Salmon Culture and Food Sovereignty. The educational benefits of salmon culture preservation will also be shared through the SAMI preschool outreach program with an early education salmon experience.

Budget Needs and Requirements

Budget requirements for this project included: manufacturing new netting and sanitizing and/or treating the herring pens prior to transfer of the juvenile Chinook salmon to the site (to prevent disease); modifications to the nets and pens to accommodate the size of our salmon smolt; modifications to improve predator protection; feeding equipment and supplies, such as; timed auto feeders, fish food, unique and/or specific coded wire tags, marking or fin clipping prior to transfer, security cameras, costs to transfer and relocate the live salmon fry from the Puyallup facilities to Tacoma Narrows Marina; proper safety equipment, water quality testing/monitoring tools and equipment, other testing and measurement tools, etc..

Funding Sources

Private Donations
Business Partnerships (Harmon Brewing, E6PR, Midnight Sun Brewing, etc.)
Crowdfunding such as GoFundMe
Grants through: WDFW/ Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account (ALEA) – Volunteer Cooperative Grant Program
Contributions from Puget Sound Recreational Fishery Enhancement Program (PSRFE)
Puget Sound Anglers
Other Strategic Partnership funding/support, Allied Salmon Groups
Fundraising events-activities
Elements of Education