A steelhead at the Oregon Zoo. | Photo: cacophony/Wikimedia Commons/Creative Commons License Aquatic A Confusing, Compelling Wild Fish: Steelhead in the Delta

Steelhead, quite frankly, are confusing.

For one thing, they're rainbow trout. That's not a metaphor. Steelhead and rainbow trout are the same species: Oncorhynchus mykiss. In California waters, they're the same subpecies as the coastal rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus. For some time it was assumed that close study would eventually reveal a significant genetic difference between rainbow trout and steelhead, because there's definitely a distinct behavioral difference between the two: steelhead spend much of their adult lives in the ocean, while rainbow trout stay in fresh water their whole lives.

LINK (via:KCET)

So you want to build a fish ladder?

A small group of water and fish enthusiasts are banding together to raise money for a fish ladder needed to help steelhead continue their journey through Central Oregon.

Steelhead tags track mortality

Biologists are taking a unique opportunity to figure out why steelhead are dying.

They're implanting 100 juvenile steelhead with acoustic tags. That way they can track the fish as they migrate out to the ocean.

Steelhead Report

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has published a report on the historic populations of steelhead in the Puget Sound.

The report identifies and describes fish based on genetics, life history, and geographical, hydrological and habitat characteristics. It will be used to develop a steelhead recovery plan for Puget Sound, which is expected in 2018.

LINK

2018? Apparently more work remains to be done before NOAA can announce their total failure to make any progress.

Steelhead show they want up the Crooked River

The big effort to restore ocean-going fish runs in Central Oregon’s major rivers has put the focus on a small diversion dam a half-mile up the Crooked River from Lake Billy Chinook.

A contingent of fish and water groups — the Northwest Steelheaders, Central Oregon Flyfishers, the Native Fish Society, WaterWatch, the Crooked River Watershed Council, the Wild Salmon Center and the Wild Steelhead Coalition — have joined together to support a website explaining the situation and asking for donations to help change it.

LINK (via: The Bulletin)

Should California Spend 4 Billion Gallons to Save a Few Fish?

In the the heart of California’s drought-parched Central Valley, fruit and vegetable supplier to the nation, a water district is defying a federal order to give some endangered trout a 3.9 billion gallon water ride out to sea. And it could be the first skirmish in a much wider conflict.

LINK (via: Wired)