The Salmon Restoration Association exists for one reason: To take positive, measurable action to restore the natural wild salmon runs to the rivers of Northern California. But on July 6th it takes on a whole new task, putting on the World’s Largest Salmon Barbeque for over 5,000 people – and hundreds of dedicated volunteers - who gather to dine on Chinook or ‘King” salmon that have been caught in California’s coastal waters. The Chinook (or Oncorhynchus tshawytscha if you are curious or regularly speak Latin) is one of the most important sport and commercial fish native to the Pacific coast of North America. It is also the largest of all the Pacific salmon, with weights of individual fish commonly exceeding 30 pounds. A 126-pound Chinook salmon taken near Petersburg, Alaska in 1949 is the largest on record. But over the years, as the numbers of this fish have gone into decline, the preservation of the Chinook and its habitat is an ongoing and vitally important enterprise.
The Salmon Restoration Association is a non-profit organization, with primary funding coming from two sources, the California Department of Fish and Game, which reserves a portion of the sales of commercial salmon tags for restoration work, and the annual World’s Largest Salmon Barbeque. How big a deal is it? It’s now a part of California's history, filed as a local legacy project with the Library of Congress and, as Congressman Mike Thompson has said, “The salmon barbeque is an excellent example of grassroots creativity supporting vital environmental and economic needs.”
The barbeque, which began in 1971, is held every year in conjunction with the Independence Day festivities in Fort Bragg, and besides being a great chance to celebrate the holiday it supports a worthy cause in a unique way. There’s live music, beer and wine, the aroma of grilled salmon and garlic bread and a big crowd from every walk of life, including an army of repeat visitors.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $9 for children twelve and under. Look for the signs to the Noyo River Mooring Basin in Fort Bragg, which overlooks the commercial fishing vessels that make the harbor their home. Or open the car window wide and head towards the smell of salmon on the grill. It starts at 11AM and runs until 6PM. Tickets go on sale starting in May. Visit their website at www.salmonrestoration.com for more information. ¦