Monterey Bay Salmon & Trout Project

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2011 - Fin Clip

Friday, 16 December 2011 10:07 | Author: james fischer |

From Stephen Rudzinski:

The Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project organized the annual fin clip at 8 AM at the hatchery in Swanton and all five tables and a total 40 stations were filled with volunteers of all ages and genders, some seasoned professionals and most curious and energetic students of high school age and younger. Fathers with sons and daughters at my table #1. It only took an hour and a half to clip the fish destined for the San Lorenzo or about 12,000 fish ranging in size from "Pinkie" length to big piggies in the 6-7" range. All from the spawn taken last winter.

The second phase was to move and clip the fish housed in the above ground tank and from Scott Creek. Est. around 5,000 were netted and transferred to the in ground pond where the San Lorenzo fish had previously occupied. One or two steelhead kept trying to hide under the arch of the wader boot while the netters were standing still. Always looking for cover to avoid the net and transfer etc. This is a very hardy fish as you would think there would be more moralities with all the movement and handling and sliding down a raceway into a new pond, I don't think i saw more than ten dead fish set aside for study. Only a small number of fish got away without a fin clipped.

Everyone was smiling and a very fine BBQ followed all the hard work. I saw a lot of very pink hands when the rubber gloves came off, also a few "Club" members and some old friends and co workers from UCSC so i could catch up on the "gossip on the hill" too.

I heard a report that Chinook Salmon have been spotted spawning in the upper San Lorenzo and have been seen in the lower lagoon as well. The hatchery director said these are fish suspected to have been released from the Harbor and are finding a new home in the Santa Cruz mountains. Some fish still return to the harbor and some find their way back to the Feather R. to spawn. The new nose wire implants in the fish this year will be identified more accurately in the future.

As any organization, volunteers with a passion for being part of the solution keep this hatchery vital and vibrant with young conservationists ready to carry on when the older generation's backs give out and they just want to go fishing instead.

STEP Rescued!

Thursday, 14 July 2011 15:09 | Author: Mathers Rowley |

Your help has rescued the power of STEP!

The MBSTP received an impressive outpouring of support for the use of native steelhead eggs in the STEP classroom aquarium incubation and fry release educational experience!

CDFG has, after some resistance followed by focused deliberation by our Regional Director, reversed the policy against the use of native steelhead eggs in the STEP.

The policy reversal appeared to be the result of the following key factors:

The substitution of hatchery trout for native steelhead as proposed by CDFG was rejected by the teachers as an unworkable change.
The policy against use of steelhead would have ended the STEP Program.
An impressive array of scientists with local knowledge of the San Lorenzo River offered their opinions that the use of some of the eggs from one female (equivalent) will pose no threat to the San Lorenzo steelhead population. Estimates of the population indicate a spawning run size of many hundreds (if not more than a thousand) fish.
The San Lorenzo steelhead population is fairly stable. An increase to that population size is limited primarily by low summer flows limiting the availability of good rearing habitat.
The highly motivated and inspired watershed stewards created by STEP are an essential component in the recovery of the San Lorenzo steelhead.

Last Updated (Wednesday, 09 November 2011 10:12)

Chinook Delivery

Thursday, 26 May 2011 15:40 | Author: Mathers Rowley |

Subject: Chinook Delivery Yesterday

Here is the first load of chinook (approx. 60,000) that were delivered to the net pen at Santa Cruz Harbor yesterday at 12:15 pm.

Everything went like clockwork thanks to Al and Bob and the volunteers. The chinook smolts looked very very healthy! All about 4-5" long and in smolt. They started feeding right away on some live baby anchovies and shrimp that were insided the net. THEY ARE READY! Release date for this batch is next Tueday eve around 6pm.

Also, the literature boxes and the voting box were being used yesterday that Mat

Rowley put together. I was able to make some copies of the new newsletter and

get them there for yesterday... Should hold out till the printing next week.

Matt

Last Updated (Thursday, 26 May 2011 15:58)

2011 NewsLetter

Friday, 20 May 2011 01:00 | Author: james fischer |

May NewsLetter

Oct NewsLetter

Last Updated (Thursday, 27 October 2011 17:12)

Election of Directors And Survey

Tuesday, 10 May 2011 14:17 | Author: Mathers Rowley |

The MBSTP is conducting an election of the members of the board of directors. All members in good standing (having donated the base level $25 last year and/or this year prior to the election) must vote in the election. We are also asking you to fill out a brief survey to make sure that our programs are all broadly supported by the membership. A “mail-in” ballot and survey can be found in the center section of this newsletter. Please respond promptly.

Please use the “write-in” section to step up for a board position or to vote for someone you know that wants to serve on the board. If you are interested in a board position or know someone that may be interested, please contact us ASAP. To be qualified for a board position one need only be a resident of the State of California and be willing and able to attend regular board meetings. It is a unique opportunity to participate in and help steer salmonid recovery in the Monterey Bay Region.

All of the candidates listed on the ballot are considered by the current board of directors to be well qualified for a board seat. If you would like to speak with any of the candidates prior to voting call (831) 458-3095.

The MBSTP has four core programs that are operated to serve the mission identified by our founders back in the mid 1970’s. This mission, in our opinion, is as valid today as it was then. We want to know your opinion. What are the primary reasons you support the MBSTP? Are any of the four programs more important to you than the others? The survey results will help the directors ensure that our resources are appropriately allocated. The mission is thoroughly described on our website <www.mbstp.org>, but is briefly stated below for your convenience.

MBSTP Mission

To help restore and conserve the native populations of steelhead and coho that spawn and rear in the streams and rivers of the Monterey Bay Region (primarily through a hatchery captive spawning and rearing program). To enhance the numbers of chinook salmon in the Monterey Bay by planting their smolt in the Santa Cruz Harbor. To educate youth and adults as to the life cycle and importance of salmonid fish, primarily through the K-12 Salmon and Trout Education Program (STEP).

As members it is your responsibility to vote in the election! Members may cast ballots in person at the Membership Meeting on June 10th at the Aptos Grange (6 to 8:30pm) where the final results will be announced, or by proxy prior to that date. The proxy vote is, by returning an executed ballot by mail, or by giving your ballot to someone going to the Membership Meeting to turn it in for you. An election is valid only if 20% of the MBSTP’s members are present at the meeting (or cast written ballots), either in person or by proxy. Ballots with a short survey form are included with this newsletter. If you have not made the base level contribution of $25 last year or earlier this year, you may include your donation with the completed ballot. Get your ballot and survey here.

Last Updated (Tuesday, 10 May 2011 14:48)

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