Steelhead are among California’s most remarkable fish. Born in freshwater streams, these ocean-going rainbow trout can migrate hundreds of miles to the Pacific Ocean before returning to the very streams where they hatched to spawn. Understanding where steelhead live, how they use habitat, and how many adults return each year is critical to conserving these iconic fish. “The best way to understand and support this unique species is to monitor steelhead throughout the year using a variety of scientific techniques tailored to each season,” according to Deena Hansen, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) senior environmental scientist supervisor who oversees steelhead monitoring across the South Coast Region for the Department in southern California.

Other anadromous fish news:

• Active NorCal (Redding, Calif.): Young salmon in this Northern California creek are growing twice as fast
• Trout Unlimited: Blog: Sprague River – Restoring water and habitat in the Klamath headwaters