Groups Join to Push Steelhead Safeguards

An unusual coalition of interests announced Monday that they are banding together to press for greater protections for steelhead trout, which are fast disappearing from Southern California mountain streams.

Calling the fish a wild symbol and indicator of ecosystem health, representatives of the Southern California Steelhead Recovery Coalition met in Los Angeles to raise awareness of the plight of the fish and urge government action to save it.

“The Southern California steelhead holds the genetic key to all steelhead populations on the Pacific Coast,” Michael Pottorff of San Diego Trout said. “Despite its scientific and historic importance, it is the most endangered steelhead population in California.”

Steelhead are ocean-going rainbow trout that once were common in coastal streams of California but are now in serious decline.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service declared the southern species of the fish endangered in 1997, a victim of water diversions, dams and pollution.

To bring relief for the fish, 33 groups representing 220,000 people announced at a news conference in Los Angeles that they were uniting to form the coalition. Among the members are surfers, environmental groups, commercial fishermen and sport fishers.

The group outlined a 10-point action plan, including the dismantling of Matilija Dam near Ojai and Rindge Dam near Malibu, more money for southern steelhead research and Endangered Species Act protection for all rainbow trout in coastal streams.

The group also seeks more government scientists committed to steelhead research and urged the National Marine Fisheries Service to reclassify spawning grounds behind dams--which the fish can no longer reach--as critical habitat.

“Government has made promises to protect and restore these fish, but to date has not fulfilled them,” said Jim Edmondson, conservation director for California Trout Inc. “We want to bring pressure on the government to get serious.”