Redband
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Conservation Plans for Redband Trout
ODFW is soliciting public comment on a draft plan to protect, conserve, and manage redband trout in the Blitzen and Silvies rivers, Silver Creek and other streams surrounding Malheur and Harney lakes in southeast Oregon.
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McCloud River Redband Rescue and Recovery
The true, pure strain McCloud River redband trout were hit especially hard by the California drought. The creeks that hold pure strain McCloud redband are disconnected from the mainstem McCloud River. These small creeks well up from springs and only flow for a mile or two before going sub-surface again. Due to the nature of the habitats and how they swell with the spring runoff then dry up and become disconnected in the summer, there is always some level of mortality on a few of these creeks. However, in 2013, DFW biologists noticed conditions were reaching critical levels for fish in a large portion of the available habitat. In late summer, dissolved oxygen levels were getting low and temperatures were rising. In the winter, the small creeks are subject to freezing if the water levels and flow are too low. After careful consideration, the hard decision was made to bring some of these fish into captivity to reduce mortality and potentially lose important meta populations in the wild.
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