Living Law,
Living LandSupport land rights

Organization

Save California Salmon

Save California Salmon, an Indigenous-led nonprofit in Orleans, California, does salmon and river policy advocacy, education and organizing in the Klamath region.

Kind
501(c)(3)
Native-led
yes-self-described
Works with
Northern California salmon-dependent peoples (Karuk, Yurok, Hoopa among partners)not yet checked against a source
Region
Orleans, CA (Klamath)
Focus
Salmon and river policy advocacy; not a land-return organization
Registry
EIN 88-1650309 (ProPublica; exempt July 2022; FY2024 revenue about $1.1M); Charity Navigator profile exists

What happened

Save California Salmon (SCS) says it began in 2017 and is a 501(c)(3) Indigenous-led nonprofit. Its About page says it was formed after the 2002 Klamath River fish kill, in which, it says, federal water diversions led to the death of over 65,000 salmon. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer lists it in Orleans, California, with tax exemption issued in July 2022.

SCS describes its mission as restoring and protecting Pacific salmon, their watersheds and the communities that depend on them. It says it works through policy advocacy, education, creative expression and grassroots organizing, and that it lifts up Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge. The home page currently asks visitors to speak up on a Bay Delta water plan before the state's Water Board.

The site says the board is made up of tribal leaders, fishermen, educators and scientists from the watersheds it works in. Its team page lists members such as Allie Hostler of the Hoopa Valley Tribe, Malissa Tayaba of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, and Sammy Gensaw, a Yurok fisherman.

SCS says it was part of the historic removal of dams on the Klamath River in 2024, and that salmon have since returned to over 300 river miles. These are the organization's own statements; no outside report is cited for them. SCS works on water and fish, not on land transfers.

Good to know. Works on water and salmon, not land transfers; its dam-removal claims are its own. The donate link is a Square checkout that does not show the payee, so confirm it before giving.

Summarized with AI assistance from 5 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error

What the sources say, and how this was checked

Supported by the sources below; some details rest on one source.

  1. Save California Salmon began in 2017, and is a 501(c)(3) Indigenous-led non-profit organizationAbout Us - Save California Salmon
  2. Through policy advocacy, education, creative expression, and grassroots organizing, SCS advances healthy rivers and fish populationsAbout Us - Save California Salmon
  3. we are proud to have been part of the historic removal of dams on the Klamath River in 2024About Us - Save California Salmon
  4. The board is made up of tribal leaders, fishermen, educators, and scientists from the watersheds we work in.Our Team - Save California Salmon
  5. Orleans, CA Tax exemption issued: July 2022 EIN: 88-1650309ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: Save California Salmon

Research notes. Water and salmon advocacy adjacent to Land Back, not land return. Dam-removal and fish-return claims are the organization's own. The only donate link is a Square checkout whose business name, address and EIN were not shown, so confirm the payee before giving.

Visit the organization’s website or give directly on its own page. This site takes no money.

Corrections to this record

  • Native leadership was listed as “unverified”; corrected from californiasalmon.org501(c)(3) Indigenous-led non-profit organization

Connections

These links were matched automatically by name or date and have not yet been reviewed by a person.

Works in 1

Works with 1

Sources

  1. californiasalmon.org/about-3unclassified
    501(c)(3) Indigenous-led non-profit organization
  2. californiasalmon.org/self-description
The record’s fields
Vetting notes
Site text read does not mention Karuk or Yurok or say 'Indigenous-led'. Donation link is a Square short link: confirm payee name at checkout. List only as water and salmon advocacy adjacent to Land Back. [V3 2026-10-16] square.link/u/AmBbizYo is the only DONATE link on californiasalmon.org and 302s to a Square checkout titled "DONATION - Save California Salmon", but the checkout shows no business name, address, or EIN and carries a noindex tag. Payee remains unverified: confirm at checkout or with the organization before listing. ProPublica: Orleans CA, exempt July 2022, FY2024 revenue $1,098,190.
Kind
Organization
Confidence
Medium
Notes
  • Some details not yet checked against a source

Correct this record