Why Coho?
While most landscape-scale planning efforts favor a multi-species approach, the Coast Coho Partnership focuses on coast coho for several reasons:
Coho are a “keystone species,” meaning numerous plant and animal species rely on them for survival at some point during their life cycle. Recover coho and you benefit an entire ecosystem.
Because coho spend 12-18 months rearing in the watershed before they enter then ocean, they are an excellent indicator of watershed health year-round.
Coho occupy a range of habitats that are also essential to other salmonids. Restoring coho habitat often benefits other salmonid species like Chinook and steelhead, as well as non-salmonid species like lamprey.
The primary limiting factor for coast coho populations in Oregon is often inadequate over-winter rearing habitat, and there are cost-effective strategies to address this issue.
Coho recovery will support recreational, Tribal, and commercial fisheries, providing renewed economic and cultural opportunities for rural, resource dependent communities.
