It’s official. There will be no Salmon fishing season this year off California or Oregon Coasts. An unprecedented reduction in fish population has called for drastic measures that have signaled both governors to declare a State of Emergency and ask for federal assistance. In the Sacramento River alone, our estimated population has dropped from 800,000 fish counted last year to a mere 70,000 seen this year. Keep in mind that a “drastic” reduction is defined as a 20% loss in population. This change is closer to a 90% decrease and experts disagree about whether it is even reversible. Environment California has led this research and pressed the administration for better regulation of the fishing industry.
So why is the lost Salmon an appropriate subject for a beaver blog? Because there is a strong relationship between the species. Research has consistently shown that dams are instrumental in providing necessary still habitat for young Salmon. A Haida legend tells of the beaver producing the salmon and teaching it to jump. This year at the TWS conference attended by s/c member Igor Skaredoff, there was a lecture on using the beaver as a restoration tool for the salmon population. Kelly Moore, the NW manager of Oregon Department of Fish Game and Wildlife described the relationship thusly:
As for the relationship between beaver and fish populations, staff at our lab has conducted research that clearly showed the importance of beaver ponds and associated habitat features to coho salmon, steelhead, and resident cutthroat trout. The primary effect is on over winter survival of juvenile salmonids – streams with abundant beaver created habitat had 2-3 times better over winter survival rates than streams with simpler riffle-pool structure.
So as California and Oregon see thousands of fisherman go without work, a booming food industry dry into decay and find themselves asking FEMA for help, they might consider asking beavers for assistance too. The pacific northwest clearly needs its salmon; more people need to understand that this means we desperately need our beavers too.
Heidi P. Perryman, Ph.D.
