Wild Steelheaders United ambassador Lee Geist shares his perspective from a season chasing steelhead on Washington’s coast under new fishing regulations meant to reduce angler encounter rate.
Update: Emergency closure for some winter steelhead rivers and the Quileute Tribe’s perspective
It has been a tough stretch for wild winter steelhead on the West End of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. Now, several months into the season, some of these runs appear to be even weaker than forecast. Given the alarmingly low returns of coastal wild winter steelhead so far this year, it’s not a surprise WDFW had to take additional action to protect these fish.
Elwha River: An update on our summer steelhead journey
Our Science Director, John McMillan, shares some early findings from our snorkel surveys of the Elwha River’s summer steelhead this past year.
The Plight of Hood Canal Steelhead
Wild Steelheaders United ambassador Lee Geist shares his history with Hood Canal steelhead and dives into some of the issues impeding their recovery.
Granite Grit Equals Access to Historic Habitat
Washington’s Icicle Creek has its fair share of management challenges: cumulative demands on water from agriculture, municipal use and a large national hatchery facility are just some of the factors that take a toll on flows and fish here. But a broad-based effort is underway to re-calibrate and balance those demands and accommodate the needs of fish and tribal and recreational fishing.
Science Friday: How dam construction — and removal — changed genetics of O. mykiss in the Elwha River
Have you ever wondered how installing a dam, and later removing it, can influence the genetics of a population of migratory fishes? A new study sheds some light on a possible answer.
Washington state legislative preview: What’s in it for steelhead?
Monday the 11th marked the start of the 2021 legislative session in Olympia, with important implications for steelhead in Washington State. Washington operates on a biennial budget system, and this year — a budget year — the state must fund its state agencies and programs for the next two years.
It’s time for the lower Snake River dams to go
“It is our collective opinion, based on overwhelming scientific evidence, that restoration of a free-flowing lower Snake River is essential to recovering wild Pacific salmon and steelhead in the basin.”
So reads a remarkable letter recently sent to the governors of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana by 10 of the finest and most-respected salmon and steelhead scientists in the world.
Washington TU launches B.A.T. Team
Washington Council of Trout Unlimited has launched a new and exciting habitat initiative to improve opportunities to recover our iconic but threatened wild steelhead and salmon.
An unfortunate reality: Depleted Olympic Peninsula steelhead and emergency conservation measures
Last week, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) enacted new regulations coast-wide with the stated goal of reducing our encounter rates on these last, best wild runs here in Washington. This includes some serious changes to the way we fish for steelhead.