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.
Meet The Team: Greg Fitz
Earlier this fall, we welcomed Greg Fitz to the Wild Steelheaders United team. Fitz is the West Coast Communications Director for Trout Unlimited and in this role works to highlight TU’s conservation, restoration, and advocacy efforts across California, Oregon, and Washington.
A Wake-Up Call for the Washington Coast
A long-anticipated petition to list the Olympic Peninsula’s wild steelhead under the protections of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has been submitted to federal agencies.
Dirt low and slotted up: Coastal Washington recap
WSU ambassador, Lee Geist, shares his winter report from the Washington coast and provides his reflections on the current management quagmire.
Meet the Team: Gary Marston
This month, we welcomed our new Science Advisor, Gary Marston, to our team here at Wild Steelheaders United.
Washington Gov. Inslee Steps Up for Steelhead
Last week, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed the state’s 2022 supplementary budget into law, which included almost $15 million for a voluntary buyback program in the Columbia River for non-tribal commercial gillnet licenses.
Volunteer opportunity: Hood Canal Steelhead
Starting this month and running through May, the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group (HCSEG) is seeking volunteers to help with their monitoring of juvenile steelhead smolt traps.
Washington state finalizes suction dredge mining rules
This April, advocates for wild steelhead scored a major victory when the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Commissioners approved new regulations governing suction dredge (motorized) mining in the state.
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.