Volume 12, Number 6

July, 2012

The
Who is Oncorhynchus mykiss ?
Steelhead trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) are one of the many threatened species with whom we share a habitat. Both Santa Rosa and San Simeon creek are hosts to this amazing and threatened species . Cambria residents can all play a part to reduce the threats to this species. Steelheads were a key food source for both natives and early settlers. In a sense our town developed around our creeks, due in part to the historical abundance of these fish. A general knowledge of the species can help us take an active role in their protection. Species Description A single steelhead trout can reach 45 in length and weigh up to 55 pounds, however on average they are much smaller. They have a life span of up to 11 years and are sexually mature within two to three years. The fish are heavily speckled and range from olive to silver in color depending on how much time is spent in the ocean. There is a signature pink-red stripe that runs along their lateral side. The steelhead one might see in the creek feeds on both aquatic and terrestrial insects, fish eggs and other smaller fish. While young they feed on zooplankton. They are a unique species; individuals develop differently depending on their environment. While all O. mykiss hatch in gravel-bottomed, fast-flowing, welloxygenated rivers and streams, some stay in fresh water all their lives. These fish are called rainbow trout. The steelhead that migrate to the ocean develop a slimmer profile, become more silvery in color, and typically grow much larger than the rainbow trout that remain in fresh water. Like Pacific salmonids, steelhead return to the rivers and freshwater streams of their birth to mate, often migrating hundreds of miles. Steelhead can spawn multiple times during their lives. Habitat Though an adaptable species, steelhead do have an ideal range of conditions. All of the basic water quality measurements such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity, conductivity, and clarity, have an impact on health and survivability of the fish population. Steelhead do best where the dissolved oxygen concen-

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tration in at least seven parts per million. While in the local creeks, deep low velocity pools are crucial habitat. These pools provide breeding grounds in the winter and critical habitat for young of year fish who spend their early years in the freshwater creeks. Even in July it is possible to see the young of year darting about in the deep pools along the creek. Threats Dramatic declines in salmonid species along the west coast have been witnessed over the past several decades. There is not one single factor, rather a complex amalgamation of both natural and human-induced factors. Locally, the human induced factors include water use and withdrawal and increased sedimentation from various land uses leading to diminished pools and increased sedimentation. Major human induced threats in the area include urban development, dams and surface water diversions, groundwater extraction, roads, and agricultural and urban wastewater effluent. Natural environmental conditions such as floods and drought conditions have reduced already limited spawning, rearing, and migration habitat. Climatic shifts over a decadal time scale appear to have resulted in decreased ocean productivity which may exacerbate degraded freshwater habitat conditions to some degree. Environmental conditions such as these have gone largely unnoticed until recently, when salmonid populations have reached critical low levels. Conservation Efforts A variety of conservation efforts have been undertaken with some of the most common initiatives including captive-rearing in hatcheries, removal and modification of dams that obstruct salmon migration, restoration of degraded habitat, acquisition of key habitat, and improved water quality and instream flow. Both the Santa Rosa Creek Watershed Management Plan and the SRC Enhancement Plan outline ways to protect and enhance habitat for this incredible species. Both can be view at www.greenspacecambria.org under Publications and Reports.
Quoted material: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/fish/ steelheadtrout.htm