Conservation

After the removal of the four dams on the Klamath River, anglers, scientists, and conservationists alike have been eager for an Elwha River-style story, where the fish just come rushing back with a vengeance. That big rush has yet to happen, but according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), at least one chinook salmon has been spotted in...

A few weeks ago I reported on the fur ban that's on ballots in Denver for this upcoming election. At the time there was a lot of hand-wringing over the ban's implications for fly anglers, since fur and feathers are central to tying the flies we use for fishing. But it was unclear whether the ban would impact fly fishing, especially since Boulder, Colorado...

The pollock trawling fleet operating in the Gulf of Alaska has been shut down early due to an alarming number of chinook salmon showing up as bycatch. According to SalmonState, a nonprofit conservation group, two "midwater" pollock trawl boats accidentally netted 2,000 chinook salmon in one day, which brought the "estimated season total of chinook bycatch...

Pacific salmon aren't the only ones facing population threats. Fisheries managers in Norway recently announced new restrictions for wild Atlantic salmon fishing in 2025 as the country's stocks hit record lows, according to Phys.org. Earlier this year, fisheries managers in Norway also shut down 33 rivers to salmon fishing in response to low returns. Ellen...

The folks over at Trout Unlimited (TU) have been busy lately on the Olympic Peninsula, and recently made a video to highlight their conservation efforts in that region. The video, which you can view below, focuses on restoring the rainforest rivers that flow through the Olympic Peninsula, which are home to salmon, steelhead, and trout. "Working alongside...

Back in 2002, Oregon's Fall River was accidentally damaged by a drop of fire retardant. The chemical spill killed all the trout within a four-mile stretch of water, some 22,000 rainbows. Thankfully, that retardant cleared relatively quickly, according to Scott Linden over at Game and Fish Magazine, but that's when the real work began of restoring the...

The Bonefish and Tarpon Trust (BTT) has come out in opposition to a development on Angelfish Caye/Will Bauer Flat in Belize, according to a press release. "We write to respectfully request that the Belizean government reconsider its approval of the project and withdraw its support," BTT wrote. "Our concern is rooted in the need to preserve the remaining...

In a recent op-ed for the Deseret News, a Salt Lake City-based news organization, Sam Brown and Chris Barnard argue that conservative politicians, at all levels, must "lead on common-sense water conservation in the West." Given that Montana, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, and Arizona all have Republican-controlled state legislatures, Brown and Barnard's opinion...

Brian Bennett, who currently works for the Wild Steelhead Coalition, recently wrote an article for Fly Fisherman Magazine arguing in favor of ecosystem based fisheries management (EBFM). The opening paragraph to his story sums up that concept: "Think about all the things involved with planning a fishing trip. Experienced anglers consider many...

The removal of all dams on the Klamath River has made it the largest project of its kind in the world. While there's still work to be done to help the river, and its fish, regain former glory, this is a monumental achievement for conservationists across the world. The final dam - the Iron Gate Dam - was recently removed, meaning the Klamath flows from...