Another Science Friday looking at the fate and migratory oceanic patterns of steelhead kelts from Alaska’s Situk River.
Ghosts of the Spring: Alaska Edition
Our Alaska staff checks-in with a visual update from last season’s fish habitat mapping project and the ongoing work to document anadromous waters and steelhead in Southeast Alaska.
The Consequences of Not Being Seen
Our Alaska team reports back on their work this spring observing steelhead using available habitat and our efforts to document that use for species inclusion in Alaska’s Anadromous Waters Catalog.
Desperately seeking steelhead in Alaska for science
Southeast Alaska is home to around 325 known steelhead streams. But Mark Hieronymus, Trout Unlimited’s Alaska Science Coordinator, believes the true number is probably twice that. However, that’s a problem because if steelhead aren’t listed in the Alaska Department of Fish & Game Anadromous Waters Catalog (AWC) for that particular river, their habitat isn’t afforded the conservation measures they deserve.
The Roadless Rule & Fish on the Tongass: A Great Pair
Late last month, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) get one step closer to repealing the Roadless Rule on the Tongass National Forest. You may as well read that as: last month the USDA got one step closer to opening up some of the wildest, greenest areas on the Tongass – the best areas in the forest for fish and wildlife – to industrial, clear-cut logging of ancient, majestic old growth trees.
Finding Fish in the Tongass National Forest
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG), 322 of Southeast Alaska’s 5,000+ anadromous waterways (waters that support ocean-going fish like salmon and steelhead) are officially recognized as supporting annul escapements (or runs) of steelhead. The “officially recognized” part is key, as this means they are included in the ADFG Anadromous Waters Catalog (AWC). We believe there are many more than 322 that are not documented …
Important salmon-producing areas protected in final Tongass National Forest Plan Amendment
December 9, 2016 Contact: Mark Hieronymus, Trout Unlimited – Alaska, mark.hieronymus@tu.org, 907-209-9770 Arne Johnson, Bear Creek Outfitters, arne@juneauflyfishing.com, 907-723-3914 PRESS KIT AVAILABLE: including b-roll footage, photos and interview footage at this link. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Important salmon-producing areas protected in final Tongass National Forest Plan Amendment Sportsmen and businesses applaud new direction for country’s largest National Forest. JUNEAU, AK – …