Adult Salmonid Sonar Monitoring Program

Adult Salmonid Sonar Monitoring Program

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Project Goal:

Obtain baseline data on steelhead entering the South Fork Eel River to spawn in order to inform the angling public on steelhead abundance. Determine if sonar assessment of adult salmonids is an appropriate method for Eel River basin status and trends monitoring.


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Project Stages

Implementation

Ongoing

Monitoring

Post Monitoring

Estimated Completion Date:
June 2023

Region:

Project Funders

California Department of Fish and Wildlife

Steelhead Report and Restoration Card program

Fish Affected:

Project Description

The South Fork Eel River is a salmon and steelhead stronghold and represents the best opportunity to restore wild fish abundance on the North Coast. This stretch of river has been impacted by excessive water diversions in many of its tributaries. Improving stream flows is critical to protecting key life-stages for coho salmon and steelhead survival.

CalTrout has been using a SONAR system to estimate abundance of spawning Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead on the South Fork Eel River with support from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). The DIDSON SONAR System, located 10 miles above the South Fork confluence with the Eel River, records video of fish as they migrate upstream to their spawning grounds. SONAR technology allows us to more accurately monitor salmon which, under past survey techniques, might have been undetectable. Project partners include CA Department of Fish and Wildlife, CA State Parks, and the California Conservation Corps.

Project Partners:

California State Parks and California Conservation Corps
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
National Marine Fisheries Service

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