Data from the Elwha River – and from several other rivers where dams have been removed – are consistent in their story: restoring and improving connectivity benefits migratory fish species.
A New Scientific Resource to Better Understand the Global Impacts of Hatchery Fish on Wild Salmonids
A literature Review led by Trout Unlimited shows over 80 percent of global, peer-reviewed research on the topic has found an adverse effect on wild salmonid populations in freshwater and marine environments.
Science Friday: Rapid diversification in Salmon and Steelhead Populations Following Dam Removal
In this week’s Science Friday post, John McMillan is back with a breakdown of a recent study looking at how steelhead, chinook, and coho are re-establshing their populations and diversity, on a pair of Elwha River tributaries between the former dam sites.
A Steelhead Story: The Legacy of Bill McMillan
For years, Bill McMillan has conducted extensive annual spawning surveys across several key tributaries in the mid-Skagit River basin as an independent volunteer. At nearly 80 years of age, this life-long advocate and citizen scientist is passing the torch to a new generation of volunteers stepping up to continue his work.
A Wake-Up Call for the Washington Coast
A long-anticipated petition to list the Olympic Peninsula’s wild steelhead under the protections of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has been submitted to federal agencies.
Meet the Team: Gary Marston
This month, we welcomed our new Science Advisor, Gary Marston, to our team here at Wild Steelheaders United.
Seven years of science, advocacy, and marching with the steelhead army
Today is Science Director John McMillan’s last day with Wild Steelheaders United and in his final post, he reflects back on seven years of his work alongside a mighty steelhead army.
Lifelong love affair
Science Director John McMillan accepted a new position with The Conservation Angler, which will allow him to do research on wild steelhead on Russia’s remote and largely intact Kamchatka Peninsula. WSI founder Rob Masonis provides his thoughts on what McMillan has meant to Trout Unlimited, and to wild steelhead in the Pacific Northwest.
Science Friday: The shifting baseline of Olympic Peninsula steelhead
Much of the original evolutionary fabric of wild steelhead populations in the Pacific Northwest has been lost to history. But how much, exactly? A new report examining Olympic Peninsula steelhead sheds some light on that.
Steelhead Past to Present
In part two in the unveiling of our new report on OP winter steelhead, we dive deeper into understanding the shift in run and spawn timing, and how this research can help with recovery planning.