Search Results: steelhead

The first time a diverse set of salmon/steelhead experts have taken a statewide look at populations and developed a recorded status record of their expert opinions regarding these populations.

“The Salmon Strongholds concept is meant to reinforce the vitality of salmon and steelhead habitat ecosystems through voluntary and locally-based initiatives, along with government agency participation. A particular focus of Salmon Strongholds is the purchase or property-rights arrangements (covenants, set-asides) of land at the landscape level with special significance or vulnerability for salmon.”

The purpose of this report is to prioritize Hoh River tributaries for conservation actions by identifying critical rearing and spawning habitat of salmon and steelhead. Successfully sustaining wild salmon will depend on the maintenance and improvement of current biological conditions in relatively healthy watersheds, as well as the restoration of altered freshwater habitats and implementation of improved regulatory measures that benefit overall ecosystem productivity.

In May, Puget Sound steelhead was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. With the addition of the listing, half of Washington’s salmon species are at risk of extinction. Despite the troubling trend, we have reason to hope.

Goals: Create regional stronghold for salmon and steelhead and trout stocks by protecting 250,000 acres of public forestland and 8,000 acres of private lower river floodplain lands. Secure permanent headwaters to the ocean protection of key habitat in at least one river system in each watershed…