Earth is faced with an anthropogenic biodiversity crisis. The Sixth Mass Extinction is the first mass extinction to be driven by a single species, Homo sapiens. In this brief essay, I briefly recount salmonid biodiversity, concluding that a vast portion of historic biodiversity has already been lost, mirroring global biodiversity loss in general. I then recount the concepts of instrumental and intrinsic value, anthropocentrism and ecocentrism, in relation to biodiversity conservation. I conclude that intrinsic natural value is an incontrovertible aspect of biodiversity conservation, and that ecocentrism is one key aspect of a truly sustainable transformation of the relationship among human and nonhuman beings. A sound rationale for protecting the world’s remaining salmonid biodiversity must rest in part upon the recognition of, and respect for, intrinsic natural value.