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.
