Salmon are Ready for Their Close-up

Few fish can claim that a Grammy-nominated performer has sung their praises. Or that an outdoor clothing company has got their back.

But that’s a reflection of how beloved wild salmon are, as well as how dire the threats to them have become. Salmon have long been an iconic species wherever they’re found, from Pacific salmon featured in the PBS Nature series Salmon: Running the Gauntlet to Atlantic salmon now gaining much-deserved media attention. The word is definitely spreading: Wild salmon is trending. Read up on how you can get up to speed on the issues and join the salmon bandwagon.

Wild Atlantic salmon populations have plummeted in all salmon-farming countries, and the greatest declines have occurred near ocean farms along salmon migration routes. There are now significantly more salmon in captivity than the estimated 3 million Atlantic salmon in the wild — a 70% decline since the 1970s.¹

Wild Atlantic salmon is among the world’s most farmed and most consumed fish. And it’s joining the likes of sharks, dolphins, orcas and whales as a marine species featured in both films and music. Patagonia Films, an initiative by the outdoor retailer a to produce environmentally focused content, has released three movies exploring human impacts on wild salmon: 

Artifishal is Patagonia Film’s full-length 2019 release about the fight for the future of wild salmon, from the Pacific Northwest to the northern coast of Norway. It features interviews with ecologists, hatchery managers, fishing guides and members of tribal councils. 

Patagonia also produced 2024’s Laxathjod: A Salmon Nation, a 27-minute film that visits Iceland, one of Europe’s last remaining strongholds for wild Atlantic salmon. Featuring breathtaking photography of Iceland’s unique landscapes and waterways, Laxathjod focuses on the Icelandic people’s fight to protect their fjords from the salmon farming industry. 

And DamNation, released in 2014, explores how Americans’ attitudes have changed from great pride in large dams to their growing awareness that when obsolete dams are removed, rivers can spring to life and salmon can leap again. 

Actor William Shatner lends his star power to the salmon cause in this short yet pointed video to Canadian open net salmon farmers. “When I see what open net salmon farming is doing to the environment,” the Canada native says, “I just can’t be Canadian about it any longer.”

On a musical note, Iceland’s own Bjork and Spanish singer Rosalia collaborated on 2023’s “Oral.” The duo released the song and video so they could donate all their proceeds to a nonprofit group fighting sea cages in Iceland. The song’s hauntingly beautiful line “Is that the right thing to do?” sounds the alarm against a greedy industry. 

Finally, Emmy- and BAFTA-winning filmmaker and marine biologist Rick Rosenthal, creator of “Blue Planet,” is working on an untitled project that’s all about salmon and their importance to the planet. 

For a deeper dive into the world of wild salmon, check out Salmon Wars: The Dark Underbelly of Our Favorite Fish by Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins. The husband-and-wife team of investigative journalists exposes the threats posed by the industrialization of salmon farming. The Wall Street Journal called the 2022 book “rock-solid and disturbing.” 

Norwegian journalists Simen Saetre and Kjetil Ostli teamed up for The New Fish: The Truth About Farmed Salmon and the Consequences We Can No Longer Ignore. Published in 2023, their prize-winning investigation concentrates on Norway’s role in the global salmon trade. In its review of the audiobook of The New Fish, The New York Times said, “You’ll think about the seafood on your plate in a whole new way after listening to this powerful investigation.” 

Another option: listen to The Last Salmon, a podcast meant to inspire hope as it explores solutions related to the salmon crisis. The podcast is hosted by actor James Murray, who played Prince Andrew on The Crown, and features interview with salmon advocates with as Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia.

The more you learn about wild Atlantic salmon, the more you’ll respect this majestic species and the more you’ll understand the issues it faces.

Join the movement of people who are passionate about helping the environment and saving wild Atlantic salmon.