California’s Wild Steelhead Protections Upheld by Federal Appeals Court

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected an attempt to strip protected status from wild steelhead trout in California’s Central Valley.

A group of Central Valley irrigators had argued that ocean-going Central Valley steelhead population should be removed from the endangered species list based on their opinion that freshwater rainbow trout – which never go to sea – might someday replace extinct steelhead populations.

LINK (Via: YubaNet)

This just in!

Central Valley irrigators vowed to appeal based on their opinion that freshwater rainbow trout might someday fly out of their collective ass.

Pet Steelhead

The Osprey Volume 66

Subscribe today and support the voice of wild steelhead.

In this issue:

• Gold Mining Threatens Salmon in Southwestern Oregon

• Hatchery Management Zones and Wild Fish

• Habitat Protection in the 21st Century

• Smith River Update

• IHN Threatens Wild Fish on the Olympic Peninsula

• Toxic Bait, Cured Salmon Eggs

LINK

June Slab of the Month Entry: S. River Steelhead

Chum local Terry Hamilton plucked one from what is becoming a pretty strong early season run up here in the PNW. Oh, and this was Terry's first steelhead.  Ever.

Lookin like it's time to do a local field trip.

Respect our Hatchery Steelhead

Wait, what?

LINK (Via: Fishing with Jay)

EPA gives pesticide deadline to protect salmon and steelhead

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has given pesticides manufacturers a deadline of May 13th to agree to new restrictions on applying three farm pesticides that pose a threat to Pacific salmon and steelhead. If the companies don't comply by May 13th, the EPA will take legal action.

The EPA action comes 18 months after NOAA Fisheries Service found that the pesticides threaten the survival of 27 species of salmon and steelhead in the West. Anti-pesticide groups had initially sued EPA over the issue in 2001. The chemicals have been found by federal biologists to interfere with a salmon and steelhead's sense of smell, making it harder for them to find food, avoid predators and return to native waters to spawn. 

LINK  (Via:Business Week)