Tippets: Elwha’s Impact, Brook Trout Recovery, Hatchery Leeches PCBs, Win for Cutthroat on the Snake River, Plastics in the Oceans

January 27, 2016 By: Erin Block

  • The removal of the Elwha Dam has benefited more than just salmon. A new study out of Ohio State examines the impact of the demolition on the American dipper bird and forest health. Via Anglers Club Magazine.
  • Brook trout recovery is in full swing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Ted Williams reports on work being done there as well as projects from Georgia to Maine and even west to Iowa. “America is starting to understand that fish are wildlife, too. But we need more of what Aldo Leopold called ‘an ecological conscience.’” Read more via Cool Green Science, The Nature Conservancy.
  • A Washington state hatchery is the suspected source of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) found in the Little Spokane River. “Health officials say PCBs pose a danger even in tiny amounts,” and river advocates call for closer monitoring by the state. Via The Spokespan-Review.
  • In this year’s annual fish survey of the South Fork of the Snake River, cutthroat trout outnumbered nonnative rainbows. “I’m excited. It tells me we are making headway,” said Brett High, Idaho Department of Fish and Game regional fisheries biologist. Via East Idaho News.
  • A new report from The World Economic Forum estimates that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans. “The plastic situation is a reminder that we still haven’t quite gotten the better of some of the problems left over from the first few industrial revolutions,” Writes Sarah Kaplan. Via The Washington Post.