Step into the spotlight with Southern steelhead! These iconic fish are making headlines from Politico to the LA Times, but what’s behind the buzz? Dive into the latest episode of the Fish Water People podcast, where Dr. Sandra Jacobson, CalTrout’s South Coast and Sierra Headwaters Regional Director, and Redgie Collins, CalTrout’s Legal and Policy Director, explore the landmark decision to list Southern steelhead as endangered under California’s Endangered Species Act.
Journey from CalTrout’s role in spearheading the petition to the unanimous Fish and Game Commission vote, unraveling the critical role of science, policy, and community support in securing protections for these iconic fish. Together, we’ll uncover the decision’s significance, its impact on California’s waterways, and the challenges posed by fish passage barriers. Our collective efforts in habitat restoration, dam removal, and legislative action culminated in this groundbreaking milestone. Join us in celebrating this triumph and charting the path forward for conservation efforts, while uncovering fun Southern steelhead facts along the way! Hint: steelhead are one of the only living organisms to change their gene expression to tolerate both salt water and freshwater environments!
Water touches all of us in both practical and magical ways. What's your relationship with water? What makes California’s rivers and waterways special to you? Let us know!
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Stay tuned as the Fish Water People podcast continues with more conversations with people from around the state and beyond.
The Fish Water People podcast is brought to you by California Trout and Bridget Shaw and Drew Alvarez at Pusher Inc. with music from Wilco. Thanks for listening & subscribing!
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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.