TripleDub Outdoors
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PRESERVING OUR FISH
Conservation.
That word by itself I consider to be the most important word in any steelheaders vocabulary. It alone means so much to any steelheaders success, for without the conservation of steelhead and its' habitat we could potentially lose every run of steelhead within 5 years. It does not take long to decimate a run of fish with the amount of fishermen, nets and habitat destruction we currently have.
When today's steelheader thinks of steelhead habitat he more than likely thinks of pristine rivers tucked away on the Olympic Peninsula, or BC and Oregon coastal streams or even streams dumping into the Great Lakes. Fact is most every river on the west coast held steelhead from Baja California to Alaska in the last 200 years. And a variety of problems have caused the extinctions of many runs, and all of them involve us. From the construction of dams, homes, and businesses, to irrigation for farms, over-fishing, hatcheries, and logging many runs have collapsed or vanished.
When it comes to what a steelheader can do, remember anything you do is better than if you did nothing and every little something adds up to a big something. These days most everyone is busy with either work, family, social lives or any number of things, so many people don't have time to do the big things. So many steelheaders instead do what they can whether that is writing a letter to their fish and game or joining a conservation group or staying active in forums making their voice heard through the internet or even telling a friend about the need for release of native fish. Many things can be done on a small level that take little time and add up. Here is a list of things that take very little effort or time you can do as a conscious steelheader.
1. Be conscious about littering both on and off the river, as many of our drains dump into steelhead rearing habitat.
2. Joining a conservation group such as WSC(Wild Steelhead Coalition) or TU(Trout Unlimited).
3. Writing to your fish and game about the necessity for our wild steelhead.
4. Handling and releasing wild steelhead properly.
5. Following the rules set by fish and game, as they are set to insure future runs and curtail poaching.
6. Bringing a garbage bag along on a trip to the river, and filling it with garbage on the way out.
7. Signing petitions that benefit wild steelhead and salmon runs.
8. Be vocal in your personal life, your friends and family may not know anything about these fish so by telling friends and family why they should care about these fish and their habitat you may be making a future conservationist or at the least they will understand why you release those trophies.
Other things that can be done include joining restoration groups, attending fish and game meetings, not shopping with companies that sell steelhead, not buying farmed salmon and more than anything remain vocal and part of the future that is our fish.
That word by itself I consider to be the most important word in any steelheaders vocabulary. It alone means so much to any steelheaders success, for without the conservation of steelhead and its' habitat we could potentially lose every run of steelhead within 5 years. It does not take long to decimate a run of fish with the amount of fishermen, nets and habitat destruction we currently have.
When today's steelheader thinks of steelhead habitat he more than likely thinks of pristine rivers tucked away on the Olympic Peninsula, or BC and Oregon coastal streams or even streams dumping into the Great Lakes. Fact is most every river on the west coast held steelhead from Baja California to Alaska in the last 200 years. And a variety of problems have caused the extinctions of many runs, and all of them involve us. From the construction of dams, homes, and businesses, to irrigation for farms, over-fishing, hatcheries, and logging many runs have collapsed or vanished.
When it comes to what a steelheader can do, remember anything you do is better than if you did nothing and every little something adds up to a big something. These days most everyone is busy with either work, family, social lives or any number of things, so many people don't have time to do the big things. So many steelheaders instead do what they can whether that is writing a letter to their fish and game or joining a conservation group or staying active in forums making their voice heard through the internet or even telling a friend about the need for release of native fish. Many things can be done on a small level that take little time and add up. Here is a list of things that take very little effort or time you can do as a conscious steelheader.
1. Be conscious about littering both on and off the river, as many of our drains dump into steelhead rearing habitat.
2. Joining a conservation group such as WSC(Wild Steelhead Coalition) or TU(Trout Unlimited).
3. Writing to your fish and game about the necessity for our wild steelhead.
4. Handling and releasing wild steelhead properly.
5. Following the rules set by fish and game, as they are set to insure future runs and curtail poaching.
6. Bringing a garbage bag along on a trip to the river, and filling it with garbage on the way out.
7. Signing petitions that benefit wild steelhead and salmon runs.
8. Be vocal in your personal life, your friends and family may not know anything about these fish so by telling friends and family why they should care about these fish and their habitat you may be making a future conservationist or at the least they will understand why you release those trophies.
Other things that can be done include joining restoration groups, attending fish and game meetings, not shopping with companies that sell steelhead, not buying farmed salmon and more than anything remain vocal and part of the future that is our fish.
Low impacted water on the Olympic Peninsula.
HABITAT
littering, estuary habitat, side channels, logging, habitat restoration, dams,lwd,beavers
DIRECT IMPACT
redds
HATCHERIES
the 1 for 1 effect, spawning with natives, non native strains
