The Washington Department of Ecology has nominated three rivers in Washington State for designation as Outstanding Resource Waters under the Clean Water Act.
Science Friday: Rapid diversification in Salmon and Steelhead Populations Following Dam Removal
In this week’s Science Friday post, John McMillan is back with a breakdown of a recent study looking at how steelhead, chinook, and coho are re-establshing their populations and diversity, on a pair of Elwha River tributaries between the former dam sites.
Washington State Legislative Update
The 2023 Washington legislative session wrapped up on the evening of Sunday, April 23 and looking at the session from Wild Steelheaders United and Trout Unlimited’s perspective, it was a very productive year.
A Steelhead Story: The Legacy of Bill McMillan
For years, Bill McMillan has conducted extensive annual spawning surveys across several key tributaries in the mid-Skagit River basin as an independent volunteer. At nearly 80 years of age, this life-long advocate and citizen scientist is passing the torch to a new generation of volunteers stepping up to continue his work.
Take Action to Reduce Harvest Impacts on Columbia River Steelhead
On Thursday, February 2, the Washington State Legislature will have its first hearing on SB 5297, the bill to limit non-tribal commercial gillnetting in the Columbia River mainstem.
Steelhead Conservation in Washington’s 2023 Legislative Session
Last week, the Washington State Legislature kicked off its 2023 legislative session. A few priorities this year that we will be working on include an important policy bill, and several funding items important to steelhead management and recovery.
Key Questions Surrounding the WDFW’s Hatchery White Paper
In Part Two of our hatchery white paper review, our Science Advisor provides further insights into the impacts of hatchery steelhead management on Washington Coastal systems.
Legislation Introduced to Remove Non-Tribal Gillnets from the Lower Columbia Mainstem
Kicking off the start of the 2023 Washington Legislative session, Senator Van De Wege (D-24) has introduced a new piece of legislation at the request of Governor Inslee that would permanently remove non-tribal commercial gillnet fisheries from the Washington side of the Lower Columbia River.
NOAA recommends an estimated $20M in funding for Trout Unlimited fish passage work
Last week, the NOAA Restoration Center recommended an estimated $20 million in funding for TU’s fish passage work, which includes our steelhead restoration efforts in both Washington and California.
A WDFW Internal Evaluation of Coastal Steelhead Hatchery Programs Points to Needed Changes
In late August, WDFW published a white paper that highlights data gaps and lack of compliance with Statewide Steelhead Management Plan guidelines for coastal steelhead hatchery programs.