Conservation

So if this is the darkest moment yet for Washington steelhead, and for those who cherish them whether for sport, sustenance, connections to our natural and cultural heritage, or all of the above, where do we go from here?

The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife just announced rule changes for 2021 for the rivers of the Olympic Peninsula. Most notably, the major rivers will close earlier (April 1) than previously, and there will be no fishing from a boat. The truth is these rule changes likely affect swung fly anglers the least. (We […]

In an online meeting on Tuesday evening, Washington anglers heard updates from state fishery managers on projected wild winter steelhead run numbers and potential regulatory options for the upcoming winter angling season on Washington’s coastal rivers.  Broadly speaking, the news continues to be grim. Years of population declines, exacerbated by recent downturns in ocean productivity […]

Truth is, these fish are tough, resilient and magnificent beings that do not need saving. Instead, they need respect. They are here, asking for acknowledgment and the basic conditions that allow them to live their lives. I’m certain there is no one action that will be able to give that, but, if the status quo continues, our relationship with spring chinook won’t continue.

As similar trends play out along the West Coast, it is now more critical than ever to bring attention to the issue of declining salmon and steelhead populations. The Skagit River is School’s start and end, symbolically representing what is happening to all the world’s salmon. The struggles confronting salmon and steelhead in the Skagit drainage are not unique; they are often the result of ambivalence for salmon, wherever they swim.