Resident wild trout are an investment in the future

Under the guidance of the Washington State Fish & Wildlife Commission, the Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) has begun developing a native resident trout harvest management policy for review. This initiative stems from our petition last year advocating for statewide regulations to protect resident wild steelhead. As part of this process, WDFW held its first public town hall meeting in February, followed by a second meeting on July 17 to present the initial draft policy. 

You can access the draft document HERE:

While the draft policy includes provisions for cutthroat trout, our primary focus remains on steelhead, arguing that protections for resident wild steelhead will also benefit other anadromous salmonids. The draft policy highlights a significant gap in understanding wild resident steelhead (trout) in Washington State compared to the well-documented management of anadromous wild steelhead. This discrepancy raises concerns about the effectiveness of statewide regulations in safeguarding resident steelhead in the future. The Wild Steelhead Coalition first identified this issue in an article published in February last year titled “Steelhead’s Missing Years.”

Key facts are clear: wild steelhead spend 1 to 4 or more years as residents in Washington state rivers, streams, and tributaries before migrating to sea. While regulations protect returning wild adults, younger resident fish face undocumented and potentially critical fishing mortality during their crucial freshwater phase. Since the abundance, resilience, and stock status of both anadromous and resident wild trout are interconnected, management decisions regarding the harvest of wild resident trout have direct implications for anadromous steelhead.

The Wild Steelhead Coalition’s petition called for stewardship and a departure from the status quo. In fisheries management, adopting a precautionary approach in situations of known uncertainty is standard practice, which, in this case, means implementing a no-kill policy. This approach acknowledges the potential negative consequences of high uncertainty and supports conservative management actions.

The survival of wild steelhead during their residency is crucial to their life history strategy, which has evolved over eons. A basic understanding of steelhead population dynamics shows that a reduction in resident rainbow trout numbers can significantly impact the number of returning steelhead adults, especially at lower population levels and under the stresses of a changing climate. Additionally, research confirms that this strategy also involves non-anadromous resident O. mykiss.

We can no longer afford to remain ignorant. Resident wild trout are an investment in the future of steelhead and should not be sacrificed for recreational “trout” fishing opportunities.