Institute for Fisheries Resources (IFR)

Activities

The Institute for Fisheries Resources advocates for salmon and watershed protection, especially along California and Oregon rivers, often in collaboration with the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA). It has supported and participated in efforts to restore fish passage through dam removals and habitat rehabilitation. IFR regularly engages in litigation to shape environmental policy. ²

In 2023, the IFR joined the Yurok Tribe and PCFFA to sue the United States Bureau of Reclamation over water flows in the Klamath River. The complaint alleged that the Bureau of Reclamation failed to meet its obligation to protect salmon and did not maintain minimum water levels in violation of the Endangered Species Act and seeks to stop water deliveries for irrigation. As of October 2025, the case remains active. ³

In November 2023, the IFR and PCFFA filed a federal lawsuit in the Northern District of California against Goodyear, Bridgestone, Continental, Michelin, and other major tire manufacturers, alleging violations of the Endangered Species Act for the use of the chemical additive 6PPD, which breaks down into a toxic compound when it degrades. The plaintiffs, represented by the environmentalist group Earthjustice, argue that runoff causes mass die-offs of coho salmon, steelheads, and other endangered fish, violating the Endangered Species Act. The tire companies have moved to dismiss the case, claiming that chemical regulation falls under the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority via the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). ^{4  5} As of October 2025, the case remains pending. ⁶

Following an initial lawsuit in 2016 filed by IFR, PCFFA, and allied environmental and tribal groups,  ⁷ in 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) violated federal environmental laws when it approved AquaBounty’s genetically engineered “AquAdvantage” salmon. The court found that the FDA failed to adequately consider the environmental risks of allowing genetically modified salmon to be produced and commercialized, including the potential for escape and interbreeding with wild fish, in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Endangered Species Act. The ruling required the FDA to reevaluate its approval of AquaBounty’s salmon and conduct a full environmental analysis but stopped short of forbidding authorization. ⁸

History

Zeke Grader Jr. led the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations from its founding in 1976 and established the Institute for Fisheries Resources in 1993, which he led until his retirement in 2015 and his death that same year. He was involved in West Coast fisheries policy, known for aligning commercial fishing interests with environmental and regulatory policies to restore salmon runs and protect fishing communities. He helped to advance the 1988 California Salmon Conservation Act and the 1992 Central Valley Project Improvement Act; both aimed at restoring salmon habitats and improving water allocation for fisheries. He received the NOAA Environmental Hero Award in 1998 for his advocacy on behalf of marine resources and fishing communities. Grader also maintained longstanding relationships with California political figures such as U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA), who said Grader was “our generation’s greatest advocate for wild salmon.” ⁹

Financials

The Institute for Fisheries Resources receives funding primarily from foundation grants and charitable contributions. Major supporters include the Marisla Foundation, which awarded $35,000 in general support funding in 2023; ¹⁰ Environment Now, which granted $15,000 that same year to advance California salmon protection efforts; ¹¹ and the Marine Fish Conservation Network, which contributed approximately $40,988 in 2017 for policy and outreach initiatives. ¹²

Leadership

Glen Spain is executive director of both the Institute for Fisheries Resources and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations. He is a biologist and attorney and has been involved with PCFFA and IFR since their early years, serving in multiple leadership roles over three decades, including Northwest regional director, legal counsel, and policy director, before assuming executive leadership following Zeke Grader Jr.’s death. ⁹

Spain has represented commercial fishing interests in federal and state regulatory proceedings, litigation, and environmental negotiations since the 1980s. ¹³ In 2023, Spain received $72,500 in compensation for his leadership role at the IFR, ¹⁴ but received no compensation from the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations. ¹⁵