Volunteers Needed for Steelhead Survey June 6-10, 2005

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The National Marine Fisheries Service will be surveying steelhead trout in Soquel Creek the first full week of June. They are in need of volunteers to help with this important work. Please call Sue Sogard if you may be able to help. Her work phone number is (831) 420-3932. See below for additional details. Please forward this on to anyone you think may be interested.

Each year the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, with the assistance of several agencies and volunteers, has sampled the fish populations of Soquel Demonstration State Forest (SDSF). This is part of an overall effort to monitor steelhead trout in the Soquel Creek watershed. For the fourth year we have the good fortune of having the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) play a major role in this important work. In fact, they have initiated new studies (that go beyond our initial monitoring goals) that include monitoring juvenile steelhead growth.

The NMFS fieldwork is scheduled to occur on June 6 to 10 (Monday through Friday). Volunteers are being sought for this rewarding project.

The same five locations within SDSF are inventoried each year. Fish are netted and collected in buckets after they are momentarily stunned by an electrofishing device. Steelhead trout are the primary fish present, but lamprey and prickly sculpin are also occasionally found. Most of the steelhead inventoried are known as "young-of-the-year." Young-of-the-year are fish that hatched in the spring from eggs laid in the streambed gravels by spawning adults in the winter. Young-of-the-year are usually 2 to 3.5 inches in length when measured in the fall.

Each field day begins at approximately 7 a.m. and ends at approximately 5 p.m. Volunteers assist in netting and measuring the fish and collecting habitat type, stream canopy, and other information. Two of the five days involve a challenging hike over difficult terrain to get to the creek. Individuals can volunteer for one or more days, however, a full-day commitment is necessary due to the logistics involved.

The scenery and company are terrific, and the project is a great way to learn more about the local fishery and watershed. For more information, or to volunteer, please call Sue Sogard. Please feel free to forward this information to anyone you think might be interested. Thank you for your assistance.

Thomas Sutfin

Forest Manager

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