Willie Poll  
Illustrated by: Chantelle Trainor-Matties

A lyrical informational picture book about how harmful fish farming practices impact wild salmon and their ecosystems

Salmon are central to their ecosystem and the lives of many Indigenous Nations, but the rapid rise of harmful practices like open net-pen fish farming has threatened these longstanding connections. Salmon have followed the same migration routes for thousands of years, but the fish farming industry has had a deadly impact on their annual journey. Open-net pen farms release harmful waste into the ocean that is lethal to the wild salmon forced to swim through it. Now, the salmon must battle against the human-made destruction of their habitat, and many Nations are advocating for change and creating calls of action to protect salmon for future generations.

As the young salmon journey from their gravel nests to the open ocean, readers learn about the life cycle of wild salmon, the effects of unsustainable fish farming, and the role of salmon as a keystone species.

Boldly illustrated with gorgeous Northwest Coast formline art, rhythmic poetry combines with supportive nonfiction content to illuminate the struggles faced by wild salmon populations.