If you want to take a deep dive into the status of California’s native fish, check out PISCES. Originally conceived by Central California director Jacob Katz when he was grad student, this fish mapping software was recently made available to the public by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. PISCES is essentially a statewide clearinghouse for data on the distribution of fishes throughout California that enables researchers, conservationists, and organizations like CalTrout to look at the presence and absence of the species in every watershed in the state. It’s a great scientific conservation tool that we use in many of our projects both small and large. For example, we’ll be using PISCES extensively in the coming year as we update 2008’s SOS: California’s Native Fish Crisis report. SOS 2016: Fish in Hot Water will map out the status of and provide recovery solutions for all 32 species of salmon, steelhead and trout in California.
We especially like the feature that allows you to look at the historical range of a species (pre-1970s–based on expert opinion) and compare it to the current range. Good data to inform how we can best help sustain and restore fish habitat.
For more on PISCES, read the blog by Nick Santos, developer of the software for the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences.
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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.