Page 25 - 2015 Annual Project Review

San Luis Rey River in San Diego County is home to rare native rainbow trout population of steelhead lineage. Photo: Sandra Jacobson
South Coast Steelhead Coalition
LONG-TERM GOALS
Re-establish stable steelhead populations in the high priority watersheds in San Diego and Orange Counties by:
• Providing access to high quality historic spawning and rearing
habitat by removing fish passage barriers.
• Mitigating other threats to steelhead recovery through non
native species removal and sediment control, improved water
quality and habitat.
• Gaining further knowledge of native rainbow trout populations of
steelhead lineage in southern California and their habitat requirements. • Plan for environmental challenges of fire and drought, and
climate change.
• Promoting conservation stewardship and steelhead awareness in the
local community through public outreach events and social media.
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Facilitated coalition capacity-building and operations including a multi-year Strategic and Implementation Plan.
• Submitted eight grant proposals in 2014 for project implementation.
• Participated in public outreach events and salmonid conferences
to increase awareness of steelhead issues and solutions in
southern California.
• Hosted Coalition website, Facebook page and other social media.
WHAT WE WILL ACHIEVE IN 2015-16
• Empower the Coalition to accomplish projects that enable fish passage, decrease non-native species impact, improve water quality and quantity, and protect native trout in high
priority steelhead recovery watersheds of the South Coast region to ultimately promote recovery of the endangered Southern California steelhead.
• Work with Coalition partners to remove fish passage barriers on high priority steelhead recovery watersheds to provide access to upstream spawning and rearing habitat.
• Remove non-native aquatic species such as bass, crayfish, and bullheads in targeted areas of high priority steelhead recovery watersheds.
• Develop partnerships with local stakeholders and agricultural operations to improve water quality and water conservation through upgrading irrigation systems and nutrient best management practices.
• Hold public outreach presentations that educate the public in California’s water challenges, drought, climate change and impact on endangered steelhead.
• Preserve fragmented native rainbow trout populations of coastal steelhead lineage through populations surveys, genetic analysis and habitat assessment.
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