Can you recall a time when the Santa Ynez River was one of the most productive Southern California steelhead rivers? Or perhaps you’ve only heard tales of people fishing Los Angeles River near Steelhead Park, hoping to fill their creel with the formidable fish.
If you want the full story on Southern California steelhead−their history, why their population has declined so drastically, and what conservation groups have been and are currently doing to recover this threatened species−check out the story below made by US Fish and Wildlife Service. We’re excited, but not surprised, to see CalTrout’s Dr. Sandra Jacobson (a geneticist and avid fly fisher of 35 years) featured prominently for her incredible work leading the South Coast Steelhead Coalition. “Jacobson’s drive for success is contagious, and she is as positive as she is clear about the coalition’s goals, “we are implementing the Fisheries Service’s Recovery Plan, and their steelhead expert, Mark Capelli, provides insight as an active member of the coalition. We are committed to improving habitat and stream connectivity for steelhead. An effort of this scale takes time and people, and this group is filled with great people who are working to make a difference,” she said.”
(Want to see the story map bigger? Click here.)
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Peter Moyle is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and Associate Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, at UC Davis. He is author or co-author of more than 240 publications, including the definitive Inland Fishes of California (2002). He is co-author of the 2017 book, Floodplains: Processes and Management for Ecosystem Services. His research interests include conservation of aquatic species, habitats, and ecosystems, including salmon; ecology of fishes of the San Francisco Estuary; ecology of California stream fishes; impact of introduced aquatic organisms; and use of floodplains by fish.
Robert Lusardi is the California Trout/UC Davis Wild and Coldwater Fish Researcher focused on establishing the basis for long-term science specific to California Trout’s wild and coldwater fish initiatives. His work bridges the widening gap between academic science and applied conservation policy, ensuring that rapidly developing science informs conservation projects throughout California. Dr. Lusardi resides at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences and works closely with Dr. Peter Moyle on numerous projects to help inform California Trout conservation policy. His recent research interests include Coho salmon on the Shasta River, the ecology of volcanic spring-fed rivers, inland trout conservation and management, and policy implications of trap and haul programs for anadromous fishes in California.
Patrick Samuel is the Conservation Program Coordinator for California Trout, a position he has held for almost two years, where he coordinates special research projects for California Trout, including the State of the Salmonids report. Prior to joining CalTrout, he worked with the Fisheries Leadership & Sustainability Forum, a non-profit that supports the eight federal regional fishery management councils around the country. Patrick got his start in fisheries as an undergraduate intern with NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division in Sacramento, and in his first field job as a crew member of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Wild and Heritage Trout Program.
2 Comments
Wow, to think that healthy steelhead populations may be able to return to some of their historic range in southern Calif is just amazing! Keep up the great work!
Just following up on a salmon (steelhead?) I caught trolling for Bonita between Dana Point and San Clemente circa 1967!
Not sure why this memory flasehd back today, but thats another discussion!
I now believe this fish was from the san Onofre river area near Camp Pendleton, but it was a TOTAL surprise on that day.
Are there salmon or steelhead still south of Newport beach?