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.
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.
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.
Elwha River update: habitat restoration on Little River
The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe has completed a two-year restoration project of Little River recently, making it more salmon and steelhead friendly. We go in-depth with this part of the tribe’s Elwha River watershed restoration work.
The Elwha: Rising From the Ashes
2020 has been noteworthy in many ways. Some of this year’s offerings (megafires, Covid-19) have been unwelcome. But for steelhead anglers and advocates, one highlight was the release of a new film in April documenting the return of summer steelhead to Washington’s Elwha River.
What’s brewing in the Chehalis River Basin (and why it matters for steelhead)
In this era of dam removal, we’re experiencing renewal and recovery across steelhead country. But in Washington’s Chehalis River basin, a new dam proposal is being considered.
Rising from the Ashes
WATCH THE FULL FILM NOW: This is a special week for steelhead anglers, and others who care about the magnificent sea-run form of rainbow trout in its native range of the Pacific Northwest. On Friday, Wild Steelheaders United will launch a new film on the resurgence of summer steelhead in Washington’s Elwha River. The film’s release is supported by a …
An update on the Skagit steelhead fishery and implications for the Olympic Peninsula
By John McMillan Although winter steelhead season has begun, between the rain and snow those of us living in Washington haven’t had much of a chance to hit the rivers. That is by definition winter steelheading, however, and we wouldn’t love it so much if the weather and river flows were perfect all the time. Whether drifting or banking it, …
Science Friday: What the heck do all those acronyms mean?
Science Friday! Another chance to dive into the weeds and define some of the jargon used when discussing, studying and evaluating hatchery steelhead. This week we focus on acronyms commonly used in hatchery management plans. Anyone who has read through a Hatchery Scientific Review Group plan or review, or most any resource management plan for that matter, has probably …