Field Notes & Science

The Blog

Stories from the Northern Crown — wild-fish science, field reports, and the policy work that turns data into protection.

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2026

The Conservation Angler Appoints Renowned Fly-Fishing Filmmaker Todd Moen to Board of Directors

Filmmaker, photographer, and Catch Magazine founder Todd Moen joins TCA's Board of Directors as the organization expands its angler-science work across the Pacific Rim.

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The Conservation Angler Appoints Award-Winning Fisheries Scientist Dr. George Pess as Chief Operating Officer and Director of Science

Award-winning NOAA fisheries scientist Dr. George Pess joins TCA as COO and Director of Science to lead wild steelhead and salmon monitoring across the Northern Crown's Pacific Rim sentinel river network.

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Why River Habitat Restoration in the Pacific Northwest is Not Enough

After three decades of success rebuilding rivers, a leading restoration expert explains why habitat alone can't recover wild salmon and steelhead without aligning the "all H" approach.

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Steelhead Need More Than Just "Enough Fish"

New research from the Hoh River shows wild winter steelhead are losing key elements of life-history diversity — raising critical questions about how we measure population health.

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Statement On 12 Month Finding of OP Steelhead Petition

NOAA Fisheries issued its 12-month ESA finding for Olympic Peninsula steelhead — recognizing long-term declines but concluding that listing is not warranted at this time.

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2025

Why Fry Matter

The fry stage is the most critical and vulnerable period in a steelhead's life — where extreme mortality and intense competition shape survival and regulate population size.

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What is a Smolt Anyway?

Learn the key differences between juvenile steelhead life stages — alevin, fry, parr, and smolt — and why they matter for survival and fisheries management.

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One Redd, Two Redd: Ambiguous Nuances of Using Redd Counts to Estimate Steelhead Abundance

Untangling the complexities — and limitations — of redd counts as a tool for estimating wild steelhead populations.

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Smolt Market Crash: Why Eating Hatchery Smolts Might Yield a Better Return

Exploring the alarming inefficiency of Puget Sound steelhead hatchery programs — where more meals are lost than gained due to low smolt-to-adult survival rates.

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The Superpowers of Steelhead: Nature's Shape-Shifter

Explore the incredible adaptability of wild steelhead and why their biological diversity holds the key to survival in a changing world.

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Legal Settlement Reached for ESA Decision Deadline for Olympic Peninsula Steelhead

TCA and Wild Fish Conservancy win legal settlement requiring NOAA to issue an ESA decision for Olympic Peninsula steelhead by December 1, 2025.

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Conservation Advocates Challenge Lower Columbia River Hatchery Programs in Federal Court

Conservation groups sue to reform Lower Columbia River hatchery programs, citing threats to wild salmon and ESA violations.

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Conservation Advocates Serve Notice of Intent to Sue Over Columbia River Hatchery Programs

Conservationists file notice to sue over Columbia River hatchery programs they say violate the ESA and harm wild salmon recovery.

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Big Steps Forward Protecting McKenzie River Water Quality

Major strides are being made to protect McKenzie River water quality and native fish habitat — collaborative conservation is turning the tide in Oregon.

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Renowned Biologist and Angler, John McMillan, to Lead The Conservation Angler

Renowned biologist and angler John McMillan joins The Conservation Angler as its new leader, bringing science and passion to wild fish advocacy.

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2024

Court Protects Wild North Umpqua River Summer Steelhead

In a major legal win, a federal court halts hatchery releases to protect wild North Umpqua summer steelhead — a victory for science and wild fish.

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Joint Statement on Lower Columbia River Hatchery Settlement with WA Dept. Fish and Wildlife

A new legal settlement requires WDFW to scale back hatchery programs harming wild salmon in the Lower Columbia River.

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Protecting Native Winter Steelhead in the North and South Santiam Rivers

Legal action aims to protect native steelhead in Oregon's Santiam Rivers from harmful hatchery practices, pushing for true wild fish recovery.

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Kamchatka Steelhead Project Update, July 2024

The Kamchatka Steelhead Project resumes amid geopolitical tension, offering rare insights into the world's most ancient and untouched steelhead lineage.

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2023

A Forty-Year Spending Spree Failed to Move the Wild Salmon Needle

After 40 years and $9 billion spent, wild salmon recovery is still lagging. Can history teach us a better path forward? TCA explores the hard truths.

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