CDFW News

Vessel Operators Settle Violations Stemming from Anchor Strike on Crude Oil Pipeline

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:40:12 GMT

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention & Response (CDFW-OSPR) has settled violations stemming from a January 2021 incident in which the anchors of two vessels impacted an offshore oil pipeline, which later ruptured and discharged nearly 25,000 gallons of crude oil that impacted Orange County beaches.

CDFW OSPR issued an administrative complaint against the owners and operators of the BEIJING and the MSC DANIT, alleging that, during a severe storm on January 25, 2021, each vessel’s anchor fouled on a crude oil pipeline for several hours before freeing itself. The pipeline connects an offshore platform located off the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to an onshore facility. California law requires large “disabled” vessels to report such a condition to the U.S. Coast Guard and to report oil spill threats to the Office of Emergency Services.

Early notification is a key safety measure. It provides commercial operators and response agencies with the opportunity to evaluate potential concerns, conduct timely inspections when needed, and take proactive steps to protect the environment and coastal communities.

A subsequent National Transportation Safety Board investigation found that both anchors struck the pipeline during the storm occurred in the vicinity of the pipeline that later failed (NTSB MIR 24-01 Anchor Strike of Underwater Pipeline and Eventual Crude Oil Release).

The settlements allow all involved parties to move forward with a shared focus on enhancing safety and strengthening marine environmental protections. As part of the settlements, CDFW-OSPR received a combined $150,000 in administrative penalties. These funds will directly support habitat enhancement projects across California, contributing to healthier ecosystems and long-term resource stewardship.

An additional $50,000 was provided to the Marine Exchange of Southern California for the acquisition and installation of an Automatic Identification System (AIS) send/receive unit, which will automatically track incoming and outgoing vessels. This upgraded AIS capability will be integrated into the existing vessel traffic service system for the Los Angeles/Long Beach region. Enhanced AIS coverage will improve offshore visibility, support safer navigation, and provide meaningful benefits to the maritime community through better situational awareness and more effective coordination during periods of severe weather.

CDFW-OSPR remains committed to working in partnership with maritime stakeholders, government agencies, and local communities to advance marine safety and protect California’s coastal environment.

Persons with disabilities needing reasonable accommodation to participate in public meetings or other CDFW activities are invited to contact CDFW's Accessibility Coordinator in the CRO Office at (916) 902-5577, or send an email to CivilRights@wildlife.ca.gov. Reasonable Accommodation requests for facility and/or meeting accessibility should be received at least 21 days prior to the event. Requests for American Sign Language Interpreters should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event, and requests for Real-Time Captioning at least four weeks prior to the event. These timeframes are to help ensure that the requested accommodation is met. If a request for an accommodation has been submitted but due to circumstances is no longer needed, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator immediately.

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Media Contacts:
Eric Laughlin, CDFW-OSPR Communications, (916) 214-3279
Ryan Todd, CDFW-OSPR Legal Branch, (916) 698-0036

California Fish and Game Commission Finds CESA Protections Warranted for Southern California and Central Coast Mountain Lion

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 10:43:22 GMT

In Other Regulatory Action, Commission Streamlines Charitable Donation of Sport-Caught Fish

The California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) at its Feb. 11-12 meeting voted to list mountain lion populations in parts of southern California and the central coast as a threatened species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA).

In a unanimous vote, the Commission determined that listing a distinct population segment of mountain lions in southern California and the central coast is warranted due to threats such as habitat loss, habitat fragmentation and isolation of small populations as a result of expanding human infrastructure, among others. The Commission considered presentations from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) on its species status review and from the listing petitioner the Center for Biological Diversity, as well as public comment. The Commission will adopt its findings at a future meeting.

“This segment of the mountain lion population is clearly at risk from distinct threats,” said President Eric Sklar. “Habitat loss, habitat fragmentation by roads, freeways and housing, and mortality from vehicle strikes, rodenticides and risks of isolation and inbreeding would lead to the extinction of these mountain lions if we remained on the same trajectory.”

Following the 1974 ban on hunting mountain lions in California, in 1990 voters approved Proposition 117, which designated mountain lion a specially protected mammal in the state and established some exemptions for lethal removal of mountain lions to preserve public safety and to protect private property and livestock. The Commission noted that those statutory provisions remain intact and that this listing is focused specifically on preventing the potential loss of the identified population segment through science-based management and conservation action.

Donation of Sport-Caught Fish

The Commission adopted regulatory amendments related to processing and donating sport-caught fish. Sport fishing license holders who exchange fish for processing will be able to donate their fish to charities directly through fish processors rather than having to deliver the fish themselves as presently allowed. The adopted amendments streamline the donation of sport-caught fish to nonprofit organizations, California Native American tribes, public schools within a California unified school district and California city or county government programs. The changes will provide sport fishing license holders the opportunity to support nonprofit, community, school and tribal initiatives addressing food insecurity, access and distribution.

Commission Elections, Committee Assignments and Meeting Participation

In its first meeting of 2026, Commissioner Eric Sklar was elected Commission president and Commissioner Darius Anderson vice president. The Commission moved to retain Marine Resources, Wildlife Resources and Tribal Committee co-chair assignments — Sklar and Commissioner Samantha Murray will continue to serve on the Marine Resources Committee, Anderson and Commissioner Erica Zavaleta on the Wildlife Resources Committee and Commissioner Jacque Hostler-Carmesin on the Tribal Committee.

Sklar, Zavaleta and Murray were in attendance for both days of the February Commission meeting held in Sacramento; Hostler-Carmesin and Anderson were absent both meeting dates.

The complete agenda for the meeting, along with supporting information, is available on the Commission website. Archived video of past Commission meetings is available online. The next meeting of the Commission is scheduled for April 15-16, 2026, at the California Natural Resources Agency building in Sacramento. Participants are encouraged to attend in person, with options available for Zoom or phone; for more information visit the Commission website.

The Commission authorized public notice of upcoming potential regulation changes related to:

Central Valley and Klamath River Basin sport fishing regulations: A discussion hearing is scheduled for April 15-16 and an adoption hearing for May 6 on proposed amendments related to Central Valley and Klamath River Basin sport fishing regulations.

Media Contacts:
Krysten Kellum, CDFW Communications, (916) 825-7120
Jen Benedet, CDFW Communications, (916) 202-4465

Wild Pig Hunts Coming Up at Joice Island

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 10:34:25 GMT

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is offering wild pig hunting opportunities in March, April and May at the Joice Island Unit of the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area in Solano County.

To apply for pig hunt drawings, visit CDFW's Online License Sales and Services website. For more information about Joice Island wild pig hunts and pig hunting opportunities on CDFW lands elsewhere in the state, go to CDFW's wild pig hunt information page. Applications are due Feb. 14 for March hunts, March 14 for April hunts and April 11 for May hunts.

Joice Island is a 2,150-acre wetland area consisting of thick cattails, tules, brush and standing water. The limited-entry, permit-only hunts help control the population of  wild pigs on Joice Island. Hunters may only use shotguns with nonlead slugs or archery equipment. Dogs and bicycles are not allowed.

Four hunters will be drawn each weekend during the 13-week wild pig season at Joice Island. The maximum hunting party size for this hunt is two hunters. There is a $2.98 fee for each hunter to apply within each of the three hunt periods.

Hunters may apply for up to three hunts within each period. A hunter has an opportunity to be drawn for one hunt in each period. All hunters must possess a draw-issued permit. Permit holders may bring one non-hunting partner.

The first hunt weekend at Joice Island will be reserved for apprentice hunters, age 12 to 15, holding junior hunting licenses. Junior hunting license holders receiving a permit must be accompanied by an adult 18 or older. The adult accompanying the junior license holder does not need to be a licensed hunter.

Selected hunters must possess a draw-issued permit, a valid California hunting license and a valid wild pig validation. All members of a hunting party must apply using the party ID from the party leader (first applicant).

Apprentice Hunt Weekend – Only Junior Hunting License Holders (Age 12 to 15) May Apply

March 7-8

General Hunt Weekends — Adults and Junior License Holders May Apply

March 14-15
March21-22
March 28-29
April 4-5
April 11-12
April 18-19
April 25-26
May 2-3
May 9-10
May 16-17
May 23-24
May 30-31

CDFW reserves the right to cancel any of these hunts and close the area to all public users without prior notification due to unforeseen circumstances or emergencies.

For more information or questions, contact CDFW at (707) 425-3828.

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Media Contacts:
Orlando Rocha, CDFW Grizzly Island Wildlife Area, (707) 425-3828
Krysten Kellum, CDFW Communications, (916) 825-7120

State's Salmon Strategy Moves Forward with $10 Million for Salmon and Steelhead Habitat Restoration Projects, New 2026 Funding Opportunity

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:36:24 GMT

As part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s comprehensive strategy to restore and rebuild California’s salmon population, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has selected 16 projects to receive funding for the restoration, enhancement and protection of salmon and steelhead (anadromous salmonid) habitat in California watersheds. The total funding for these projects amounts to more than $10 million in grant awards.

Projects were awarded through CDFW’s Fisheries Restoration Grant Program (FRGP). This program was first established in 1981 and since 2000, has included funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, established by Congress to reverse the declines of Pacific salmon and steelhead throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska. These awards also include funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act to help support the recovery, conservation and resilience of Pacific salmon and steelhead.

These projects will conserve and recover California’s salmon, furthering the objectives laid out in the California Salmon Strategy for Hotter, Drier Future (PDF). The actions outlined in the report lay the groundwork for California to restore and rebuild salmon populations, improve salmon habitat and utilize the best available science and management practices to prepare for the future.

“These investments are another step forward to help California salmon,” said Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “The projects we’re funding will improve the health of creeks and rivers across the state, which will help salmon survive through climate change and benefit all who depend on health salmon fisheries. I’m proud of this progress, with much more work ahead.”

Examples of projects awarded under FRGP this year include removing three coastal stream fish passage barriers that will open over 7 miles of previously inaccessible river habitat in direct support of the Salmon Strategy. Additionally, FRGP continues support for popular annual Salmonid Restoration Conferences in 2027 and 2028 to offer technical education workshops and teach habitat restoration techniques to landowners, scientists, students and tribal members to contribute to protection and restoration of the salmon and steelhead population.

Among these 16 projects, the South Yuba River Citizens League was awarded $1,817,011 for the Upper Long Bar Salmonid Rearing Habitat Restoration Project. The project will restore eight acres on the Yuba River to improve juvenile rearing habitat to support diverse life histories, increased growth and survival of spring- and fall-run Chinook salmon and California Central Valley steelhead.

Trout Unlimited was awarded $717,463 for the Chamberlain Creek Instream Habitat Enhancement Project that will increase stream complexity and pool frequency and depth to improve rearing habitat for Coho salmon and steelhead trout. These stream features will be achieved through the installation of 114 large wood structures on the project’s 2.56-mile reach on Chamberlain Creek.

“We are thrilled to be able to partner with the staff at Jackson Demonstration State Forest on this important salmon restoration effort in Chamberlain Creek,” said Trout Unlimited North Coast Coho Project Manager Nicole Herrera. “This project on the Big River watershed will implement a recovery action identified by NOAA and CDFW in the Salmonid Habitat Restoration Priorities Action Plan.”

“These projects are implementing Salmon Strategy actions in real time. From restoring thousands of acres of habitat to improving migration pathways, advancing science-based flow management and using cutting-edge technology, actions taken from the Salmon Strategy work,” said CDFW Acting Director Valerie Termini. “We continue to see salmon and steelhead return to many California rivers and streams where they have not been seen in decades.”

In response to the 2025 FRGP solicitation, CDFW received 53 proposals requesting more than $49 million in funding. The proposals underwent a thorough technical review involving subject matter experts from CDFW and NOAA. For additional information and a complete list of all FRGP-awarded projects, visit FRGP's funded project summaries page.

The FRGP is now accepting concept proposals for the 2026 grant solicitation. Proposals will be accepted no later than March 2, 2026, through the CDFW WebGrants Portal.

CDFW will hold an online public workshop on February 4, 2026, to provide an overview of the solicitation. Workshop attendance is not a requirement for submitting a proposal. Visit the FRGP solicitation page for guidelines and workshop information, or contact FRGP@wildlife.ca.gov with any questions.

Highlighted Project Summaries

Bouverie Dam Removal for Fish Passage
($367,249 to All Hands Ecology)

Bouverie Dam is the final man-made barrier to unimpeded fish passage on Stuart Creek, a major tributary to Sonoma Creek. The dam removal restores access to pristine high quality rearing habitat and cool climate refugia for juvenile salmonids.

Watershed Stewards Program Statewide Monitoring and Enhancement
($731,689 to California Conservation Corps Watershed Stewards Program in partnership with AmeriCorps)

The California Conservation Corps Watershed Stewards Program (WSP) in partnership with AmeriCorps will engage 44 WSP Corpsmembers across California to monitor and enhance anadromous watersheds through fisheries/habitat surveys, riparian restoration, community education/engagement and by providing participants with insight into the environmental science field.

2025 Mainstem Buckeye Creek Instream Enhancement Project
($131,216 to The Conservation Fund)

This project restores salmonid habitat by placing 55 pieces of large wood at 21 structure sites to increase stream complexity, high flow refugia, pool frequency, and rearing habitat for salmonids.

Upper Klamath River Design and Planning Project - Beaver Creek
($739,196 to Mid Klamath Watershed Council)

This project will develop a 100% level fisheries restoration design on 7 miles of Beaver Creek. The project area has approximately 50 acres of low-lying floodplain that is disconnected due to channel constraint. The design would improve conditions for spawning and rearing fish by connecting floodplains and improving habitat structures.

Lower South Fork Cottaneva Instream Habitat Improvement Project
($394,154 to Eel River Watershed Improvement Group)

Goals of this project are to improve habitat complexity with the construction of 38 large wood structures along 1.2 miles of South Fork Cottaneva Creek, Rockport Creek, and an unnamed tributary to Rockport Creek. This will increase pool and flatwater shelter and capture woody debris and sediment.

Cachagua Creek Fish Passage Alternative Plan/Design Project - Quevedo
($184,774 to Trout Unlimited)

This project will provide a design plan to remediate an existing migration barrier in this important tributary to the Carmel River. The current ford is a partial migration barrier for all life stages of steelhead. The removal and replacement with a free span bridge will improve migration conditions in this reach of Cachagua Creek.

Bridge Creek - California Conservation Corps Large Wood Coho Habitat Enhancement Project
($424,247 to California Conservation Corps - Ukiah)

The project will improve salmonid habitat in Bridge Creek through the introduction of large wood features. Large wood features will be constructed by California Conservation Corps hand crews without the use of heavy machinery.

Hydrology to Habitat: Critical Steelhead Restoration Assessments in San Luis Obispo Creek Watershed
($582,511 to Creek Lands Conservation)

The project will collect data and conduct landowner outreach required to identify and advance transformative steelhead habitat restoration projects on San Lois Obispo Creek and its major tributaries, including fish passage improvements, steelhead rearing habitat enhancement, estuary restoration and streamflow enhancement. Data will include barrier assessments, engineering barrier analysis, ecologically critical streamflow monitoring, water quality and steelhead mark and recapture.

2027 and 2028 Salmonid Restoration Conferences
($191,988 to Salmonid Restoration Federation)

The 2027 and 2028 Salmonid Restoration Conferences will offer technical education workshops and teach habitat restoration techniques to practitioners, landowners, agency personnel, scientists, students, tribal members and consultants to contribute to protection and restoration of anadromous salmonids. Each conference includes intensive workshops, field tours, 9-12 concurrent sessions and keynotes to recovery strategies in state and federal salmonid recovery plans.

Upper South Fork Eel River Instream Habitat Improvement Project
($854,222 to Eel River Watershed Improvement Group)

This habitat improvement project will improve ecological complexity along 3.5 miles of the South Fork Eel River by installing 41 large wood structures composed of 166 logs and 202 boulders, which will help create a natural habitat setting.

Arroyo Seco River Fish Passage Project - Sycamore Flats
($1,288,949 to Trout Unlimited, Inc.)

The project will remove an existing concrete vehicle ford which spans the Arroyo Seco River. The completed project will eliminate a priority migration barrier and improve conditions for federally threatened South Central Coast steelhead trout on the Arroyo Seco River in Monterey County.

Lower San Luis Obispo Creek Floodplain Preserve Steelhead Habitat Enhancement Project
($267,872 to The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County)

The project will prepare 100% of engineering designs and submit all necessary permit applications to restore more natural conditions along the lower mainstem of San Luis Obispo Creek on The Land Conservancy's Lower San Luis Obispo Creek Floodplain Preserve Properties. These habitat enhancements will increase the amount and quality of steelhead juvenile rearing habitat, fry rearing habitat and winter refuge habitat to support the steelhead population within the San Luis Obispo Creek watershed.

Green Valley Creek Off-Channel Habitat Enhancement at Sweetwater Nursery
($829,943 to Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District)

The project will connect an existing floodplain pond to Green Valley Creek via an excavated connector channel to allow free access to off-channel winter habitat for juvenile salmonids. The off-channel pond will provide high-quality wetland habitat throughout the majority of winter and spring that will be used by out-migrating salmon to forage and rear. The project will also see habitat improvements as a result of the installation of engineered log jams to drive pool development and provide woody cover.

Elk Creek Fish Passage and Sediment Reduction Project
($521,718 to Smith River Alliance)

The project will restore fish passage and migration access to spawning and rearing Coho salmon by replacing an existing undersized culvert with an 8-foot-diameter culvert with a natural channel bottom. The culvert upgrade is one part of a larger project that will restore fish passage at six barriers in the headwaters of Elk Creek. Riparian plants will be installed in areas impacted by construction and currently lacking riparian cover.

The awarded projects advance the objectives of state and federal fisheries recovery plans that focus on removing barriers to fish migration, restoring riparian habitat, recovering wildfire impacts detrimental to rivers and creating a more resilient and sustainably managed water resources system (e.g., water supply, water quality and habitat) that can better withstand drought conditions. These projects further the goals of the California Water Resilience Portfolio, State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) page, California’s Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future and fulfillment of CDFW’s mission (PDF).

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Media Contacts:
Matt Wells, Watershed Restoration Grants Branch, (916) 216-7848
Steve Gonzalez, CDFW Communications, (916) 804-1714

Naturally Reproduced Coho Salmon Found in Russian River’s Upper Basin for the First Time in Decades

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:15:21 GMT

Discovery in Isolated Pool Prompts Fish Rescue by Pinoleville Pomo Nation and CDFW

In case you missed it:

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom last week celebrated a monumental achievement for California as salmon are making a comeback in Northern California. This summer, several juvenile Coho salmon were spotted in the Russian River’s upper basin — a first in more than 30 years. California has recently marked significant progress in its comprehensive strategy to help these threatened and endangered salmon species recover — all the more critical as protections for endangered species have been rolled back at the federal level.

“California’s salmon strategy is about more than restoring a species — it’s about restoring an entire way of life,” said Newsom. “It’s about honoring tribal sovereignty, protecting the ecosystems that define this state, and doing the hard, generational work to make sure these rivers still run for our kids and grandkids. The return of this species to the Russian River demonstrates a new win in our strategy to preserve a healthy and sustainable future for all.”

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced that juvenile Coho salmon were spotted in a tributary of the Russian River in Mendocino County by a Pinoleville Pomo Nation water specialist — the first observation confirming natural reproduction of Coho in the Russian River’s upper basin since 1991. Governor Gavin Newsom’s Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future, coupled with beneficial wet weather conditions, is supporting California’s struggling salmon populations as they return to historical habitats like the Russian River.

The Coho discovery was a sign of recovery for the endangered species, but it also called for swift action to ensure their survival.

Snorkeling in an isolated pool on Ackerman Creek north of Ukiah in June, Pinoleville Pomo Nation Environmental Protection Agency Water Resources Specialist Dakota Perez Gonzalez discovered young Coho salmon. These fish, as well as juvenile steelhead trout and Chinook salmon, were disconnected from surface water flow and other suitable habitat and likely to perish when the pool eventually dried up.

Strong Regional Partnerships

To help the species continue to thrive, Pinoleville Pomo Nation and CDFW partnered for a rescue effort when it was discovered that these juvenile fish had become stranded in an isolated and drying pool.

“Pinoleville Pomo Nation respects the relationship of traditional ecological knowledge, passed down through generations, while learning about contemporary conservation practices,” said Pinoleville Pomo Nation Vice Chairperson Angela James. “We honor Mother Earth by protecting the sustainability of our natural resources. Our Tribal Citizens currently utilize every cultural resource Ackerman Creek provides for us. By actively engaging in habitat restoration, water quality monitoring and the preservation of native species, we reaffirm our commitment to the health of the Ackerman Creek for future generations.”

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and Pinoleville Pomo Nation staff set out to rescue the Coho and as many other fish as possible from the isolated pool. Teams used nets to collect two Coho, three Chinook, 146 steelhead and hundreds of other native and introduced fish species. Three Pinoleville Pomo Nation environmental interns — T.J. Feliz, Marisol Tlelo and Riley Dizon — provided critical support to the fish rescue.

The adult Coho that spawned these young fish likely migrated in December 2024 from the Pacific Ocean, through more than 90 miles of the Russian River, and into Ackerman Creek. The last confirmed account of juvenile Coho in upper Russian River tributaries was prior to 1991. The 2025 observation of juveniles in Ackerman Creek is the first evidence that adult Coho have successfully reproduced in the Russian River’s upper basin in over 34 years.

This isn’t California’s first salmon rescue operation: during the drought-prone years of 2021-23, CDFW staff engaged in 51 rescue events in 25 waters, saving nearly 14,000 Coho salmon from death in drying pools and warm water. These rescued juvenile fish go on to support healthy adult populations of salmon statewide.

Hatcheries at Work

The Coho were taken to the Warm Springs Fish Hatchery where a Coho captive breeding program has been working to recover endangered Russian River Coho since 2001. The steelhead were also taken to the Warm Springs Fish Hatchery, and other native fish were released into Ackerman Creek near its confluence with the Russian River.

“Coho likely would have disappeared from the Russian River basin by 2004 if not for the Coho captive breeding program,” said Bay Delta Region Inland Fisheries Program Manager Corinne Gray. “While there have been five observed adult Coho that have returned to their natal waters at Coyote Valley Fish Facility below Coyote Dam since 2012, it has been decades since evidence of successful spawning and rearing of Coho has been seen in tributaries in the Russian River’s upper basin.”

In the winter of 2024-25, Coho returned in record numbers to habitat throughout the northern half of the California Central Coast, from the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in Marin County to the Sinkyone Wilderness in Mendocino County. Though there have been successful returns of Coho in the lower Russian River watershed, Coho are not often seen migrating into the upper Russian River watersheds.

CDFW staff actively seek out naturally reproduced Coho juveniles to maximize genetic diversity in the captive breeding program. The Russian River Coho captive breeding program is a multi-agency partnership implemented by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, where these natural origin juvenile Coho are hatchery reared to adulthood and then spawned. This takes a few hundred fish and multiplies them to about 150,000 that are released to local tributaries with the goal of restarting sustaining populations of Coho.

Improved Fish Passage and Habitat Restoration

As the state invests in improved fish passage and habitat restoration, California is starting to see salmon emerge in unexpected and historic watersheds.

This summer, Coho salmon were spotted in the Jenner Headlands Reserve on the Sonoma Coast, their first sighting in the area in roughly 60 years. This area was previously preserved in 2010 thanks in part to funding provided by the California State Coastal Conservancy and the Wildlife Conservation Board. These investments by the state support critically important habitat restoration and preservation opportunities, even years after acquisition.

In November, for the first time since the 1950s, Chinook salmon were documented migrating into the reaches of Alameda Creek in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Chinook were able to swim further up the largest local tributary to the San Francisco Bay as a result of the Sunol Valley Fish Passage Project implemented by CalTrout and PG&E. Developing and updating fish passages is also identified in the state’s Salmon Strategy as a key way to support movement of healthy fish populations.

Additionally, in a key effort to advance the Salmon Strategy, CDFW and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries have partnered on Salmon Habitat Restoration Priorities (SHaRP), a collaborative commitment to restore important salmon and steelhead habitat. SHaRP helps salmon build resilience, and projects in the impacted zones have seen substantial increases in adult Coho salmon returns which in turn can help repopulate upstream areas like Ackerman Creek.

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Media Contacts:
Krysten Kellum, CDFW Communications, (916) 825-7120
Angela James, Pinoleville Pomo Nation Tribal Council