Chum salmon do not go far upstream to spawn and almost immediately move into salt water after hatching. Within Washington state, there are 4 distinct populations (also called ecologically significant units or ESUs). In 1999, the summer-run Hood Canal chum salmon was designated as threatened under the U.S. Federal Endangered Species Act. This ESU also is a candidate for listing by Washington state. For more information, see the US Fish and Wildlife Service's chum salmon species profile, the Pacific Biodiversity Institute website, and NOAA Fisheries website on the summer-run Hood Canal chum salmon.