The Pacific Northwest Salmon Center proudly recognized Paul Dorn, fisheries biologist for the Suquamish Tribe; the late Howard Fuss, fisheries research biologist with Washington Fish and Wildlife; Jim Hutchins, Director of Oregon Stewardship; Jerry Manuel, retired fish culturist with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; and Tom Jay and Sara Mall Johani, who are both artists, activists, visionaries and founders of the Soul Salmon and Wild Olympic Salmon as the 2004 inductees into the Pacific Northwest Salmon Center's Wild Salmon Hall of Fame. On September 25^th, the six candidates were announced at a gala event held at the Alderbrook Inn and Resort on the Hood Canal in Union, WA.

Congressman Norm Dicks congratulates the 2004 inductees

Paul Dorn has worked for 30 years in salmon recovery, most of that time as a biologist for the Suquamish Tribe in Washington. Over the years he has served with diverse government, nonprofit and school organizations. He has designed hatchery operations, including the Cowling Creek hatchery which is used to rebuild many local salmon runs. Today Paul oversees salmon production projects at Gorst Creek and Grovers Creek and works on numerous research efforts, including a Bainbridge Island shoreline project that involves volunteers. Paul belongs to local organizations that include North Kitsap Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Clear Creek Council and Chums of Barker Creek.

 Howard Fuss worked for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for over 20 years in salmon recovery before his death. His research for the state helped advance the understanding of interactions between wild and hatchery fish. A recognized leader, Howard supervised numerous projects, including a Coho reproduction study on Minter Creek and a steelhead predation study on the Green and Deschutes rivers. Many of the techniques and standards he developed to improve hatchery management are still in use today, 20 years later.

Jim Hutchins, director of Oregon Stewardship, has worked in salmon recovery for various  organizations,  including Bear Creek Watershed Council. His greatest achievement has been his "relentless effort" to educate students in 24 Oregon schools in five counties. He volunteers over 2000 hours a year, dedicating himself to teaching kids about salmon, streams and riparian zones. The agency cites Hutchins for his work with kids doing salmon surveys in Bear Creek, "Fish Watch" projects that help clean up streams, trail restoration, and his hosting of a spring science fair focusing on teenagers improving the woods and waters near their homes.

Tom Jay and Sara Mall Johani have been promoting wild salmon for more than 25 years, working  with salmon in the streams as well as through creative expressions in painting, sculpture, literature and poetry. In 1989, the couple created Wild Olympic Salmon, a nonprofit group dedicated to saving salmon on the Olympic Peninsula. Jay's bronze sculptures can be seen in public places throughout Puget Sound, and his book "Reaching Home: Pacific Salmon, Pacific People" has received acclaim for its passion. Johani was the driving force behind Soul Salmon, in which artists adorned a 6-foot salmon "blank" with their own creative designs to raise money for various causes.

Jerry Manuel, a retired Washington state biologist, developed a portable salmon incubator that has been used to rebuild wild salmon runs in hundreds of streams. At one point Manuel incubated more than 13 million wild salmon eggs in incubators around Hood Canal. Worldwide, more than 1,100 incubators are in use today. Manuel has helped non-profit groups including Long Live the Kings as well as individuals who wanted to rear fish on their own property. He has taught school children as well as adults about the life cycle of salmon.

Typically,one person is chosen for this prestigious award acknowledging their efforts. This year however, an unprecedented tie occurred whereby each final nominee was inducted. The Wild Salmon Hall of Fame final selections committee consisted of Congressman Norm Dicks, Salmon Recovery Funding Chair Bill Ruckelshaus, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission Chair Billy Frank Jr., and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Jeff Koenings. The committee unanimously voted all the candidates in, stating that the nominees selected were so diverse in their individual experiences and salmon recovery efforts that all were equally worthy of recognition. As a result, all were chosen as 2004 Wild Salmon Hall of Fame winners.