On October 30, 2024, a Marion County Circuit Court judge denied a motion for an injunction that would have ordered the continued release of hatchery summer steelhead into Oregon's famed North Umpqua River.
The Conservation Angler's work to protect the North Umpqua River's legendary wild summer steelhead took a major step forward when the court denied the motion. As a result, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission's historic decision to terminate the Rock Creek Hatchery summer steelhead program — which TCA and its allies (the "North Umpqua Coalition") secured through effective legal, scientific, and grassroots advocacy — will finally be implemented.
The North Umpqua. Cold water, basalt walls, old-growth conifers — the kind of habitat where wild fish thrive once the right barriers come down. In this case, that meant hatchery releases.
Who Did What
TCA's Legal and Policy Director, Rob Kirschner, Science Director, John McMillan, and Executive Director, Dave Moskowitz, have played key roles in ensuring these fish are protected from hatchery threats. Specifically, Rob uncovered the Rock Creek Hatchery summer steelhead program's legal violations, drafted a Petition for Declaratory Ruling regarding those violations, and co-wrote legal briefs with the Coalition's attorney, Karl G. Anuta, to defend the Commission's decision and defeat the motion for preliminary injunction.
John provided expert scientific support, including a report on the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department's flawed analysis of the hatchery program and compelling testimony to the Commission about the hatchery program's negative effects on wild summer steelhead. Dave repeatedly testified to the Commission about their importance to anglers, conservationists, and others.
TCA is proud to partner with the Steamboaters, The North Umpqua Foundation, Umpqua Watersheds, Native Fish Society, and Pacific Rivers in yet another chapter in the story of wild fish advocates protecting the North Umpqua River's extraordinary steelhead. TCA's partners have stopped dams and dynamite from extirpating wild North Umpqua River steelhead and gained significant habitat protections for the river.
TCA will continue to fight in this case to ensure that the Commission's decision to protect these extraordinary fish is ultimately upheld.
How We Got Here
Yesterday's decision marks the latest chapter in the North Umpqua Coalition's campaign to protect the North Umpqua River's legendary wild summer steelhead from the negative genetic and ecological effects of the Rock Creek Hatchery summer steelhead program.
In 2022, the Coalition submitted a Petition for Declaratory Ruling, which alerted the Oregon Fish & Wildlife Commission to legal violations stemming from the release of hatchery summer steelhead into the river.
Shortly thereafter, the Commission held a public hearing about the hatchery program. During that hearing, the Coalition gave a compelling presentation about the hatchery program's harmful effects on wild summer steelhead. The Commission was persuaded by the best available scientific data and voted to terminate the hatchery summer steelhead program at Rock Creek.
An angler casting in the North Umpqua. This is the fishery — quiet, demanding, and irreplaceable — that decades of advocacy has been fighting to keep.
What People Are Saying
"We are pleased with the outcome. Hatchery summer steelhead have been released into the North Umpqua River for decades, even though the data demonstrated the negative consequences of those releases on wild summer steelhead. We are greatly relieved that the river's wild summer steelhead will finally get a break. The Coalition will continue to fight in this case to ensure that the Commission's historic decision to protect these extraordinary fish is ultimately upheld."
— David Moskowitz, Executive Director, The Conservation Angler"Today's decision represents a major step forward for Oregon's iconic wild summer steelhead. When quality habitat and cold water are present like in the North Umpqua, nothing helps restore wild fish to abundance better than sunsetting harmful hatchery programs. Wild is the future!"
— Mark Sherwood, Executive Director, Native Fish SocietyThe North Umpqua Coalition consists of The Conservation Angler, Native Fish Society, North Umpqua Foundation, Pacific Rivers, Steamboaters, and Umpqua Watersheds, represented in this case by the Law Office of Karl G. Anuta PC.
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