Methow River Bull Trout скачать в хорошем качестве

Methow River Bull Trout

In fall 2024 I was fortunate to attend another edition of the Salvelinus confluentus Curiosity Society annual gathering. The 2024 meeting took place in Mazama, Washington, a remarkable area nestled in the rain shadow of the North Cascade Mountains. This part of Washington was not one I had spent much time in previously and it was amazing to explore around both above and below the water. I spent one evening snorkeling the Methow River, which is home to a wide array of native fishes including Bull Trout and Mountain Whitefish, who make up the primary cast of this video. These clips are from a few different pools, along about 2 kilometers of river. The sun was setting so the imagery is a bit grainey but hopefully it gives you an idea of the underwater scenery that the Methow affords. Like many of their compatriots throughout the range of the species, populations of Bull Trout in this part of the Columbia River watershed are highly imperiled, with some populations barely hanging in there by a fin. These critters need cold, clean, complex and connected watersheds - something that is increasingly scarce. It is really encouraging however to attend the gathering every year and learn about what folks are doing rangewide to protect and recover these amazing fish so that future generations of fish nerds can enjoy these fish (and their habitats) too. If you want to learn more about some of the cool native fish recovery efforts happening in the Methow watershed, check out www.methowsalmon.org