Blog: Canary in the coal mine – Moments that write history
One of the key issues on the table—highlighted in the CalTrout and UC Davis Report, SOS II: Fish in Hot Water—is that on our current trajectory, it’s predicted that 45% of native California salmonids will face extinction in the next 50 years. When a species faces imminent extinction – there is a sense of urgency to act, but recovery programs differ depending on the species. Because steelhead, the ocean-going form of Oncorhynchus mykiss, use many areas of a watershed from ocean to headwaters, there are a range of threats to address and many stakeholder interests to balance. Making things more complex, Southern steelhead recovery takes place in the middle of 20 million people – so a pragmatic approach is essential.