| Did you know that salmon are an endangered species? Well they are. Salmon are becoming extinct from our rivers. In order to repopulate salmon we need to stop polluting, put a limit on fishing, and build more fish ladders and fish elevators where the salmon need them. Trying to repopulate salmon is a good thing because if all the fish die out, animals and humans would lose a food source, and it would be harder for people and animals to live. I have seen a lot of pollution. Most of it I see in rivers when I'm swimming. I see cans, bottles, paper, and garbage. Littering is a thing that a lot of people do. That littering becomes pollution and that pollution pollutes the water so that salmon are breathing dirty water. That is like breathing dirty air for us. If you have trash, throw it in the nearest trash can. If you are by a river and see trash, go pick it up and throw it in the nearest trash can. Think of a place where you saw pollution and never picked it up. Now think of how it affects salmon. Lots of people like to go fishing in their spare time. Sometimes they don't realize that they catch salmon. We should put up a sign that says, "If you see someone with a salmon or catch one, throw it back where it came from." Then put a picture of a salmon so people know what they look like. Have you ever caught a salmon? If so, did you throw it back where it came from or did you take it home for dinner? The idea of fish ladders and fish elevators is a good idea to help salmon get over dams. Some rivers that people don't pay much attention to and have a dam may have salmon going through them. That river might not have an elevator or ladder. Then those salmon can't get back to their home stream to spawn. If you went to one of the elevators or ladders, it would be rare to see a salmon. You would see other fish like scrod, perch, trout, or catfish. Help me put a plan into place to get elevators and ladders into those rivers to help the salmon repopulate. Now you can clearly see why salmon are becoming extinct. We must stop polluting, put a limit on fishing, and build fish ladders and fish elevators where the salmon need them. We need everyone's help to make this happen. Repopulating salmon is a good thing because if all the salmon die, animals and humans will lose a food source and it would be harder for people and animals to live. The faster we teach people, the sooner salmon will repopulate. Taylor Senecal South Hadley |
