Photo: Mike Hupp
The science behind the SOS II report has made it clear: many of salmon, steelhead, and trout are in poor condition with the last several years of severe drought pushing several species to the edge of extinction.
Why should this be concerning to all Californians? Because resilient fish populations indicate healthy waters, important for drinking water, agriculture, commerce, and the health of people and the environments in which we live. Declining fish populations indicate degraded waters, which threaten the health and economic well-being of all Californians.
The good news is that 31 of our 32 kinds of salmonids still persist. We have an opportunity to reverse this trajectory toward extinction, but the findings of this report underscore that we must act now. We must take bold, scientifically informed, and innovative actions to improve resilience of our native salmon, steelhead, and trout and the waters upon which we all depend.
Improving salmonid status throughout California requires investing in productive and diverse habitats that promote salmonid diversity and resilience. From the findings of the SOS II report, California Trout has developed an action plan to return our rivers and salmon, steelhead, and trout to resilience. If fully implemented, many of the species in this report will thrive.
We call this plan a "Return to Resilience" recognizing that both salmonids and people must be resilient in reponse to change wrought by the ever-increasing human demands on the planet. The following pages outline some of the key strategies and highlight CalTrout projects that are already putting the plan to action and helping our imperiled native fish.
The Action Plan
Return to Resilience: Saving California's Salmonids from Extinction
Rob Lusardi, CalTrout-UC Davis Wild and Coldwater Fish Scientist