When wildfires strike, people tend to think about the mammals and birds that are threatened.
When wildfires strike, people tend to think about the mammals and birds that are threatened. Rarely do they think of the fish that populate the regions streams and rivers. Some fish, however, like coho salmon, are particularly sensitive to increases in water temperature, and can only survive in warmer waters for a limited amount of time.
That was the threat facing the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project, home to steelhead and salmon that are used to restock depleted schools in nearby streams. David Streig, the project manager of a fish hatchery, was scheduled to retire on Friday, but found himself protecting his life’s work instead: “This was not how I planned on spending my last few days,” he said after cleaning up after the fire damage. He went on to test the water temperature of the pools and to ensure that the hatchlings were fed. He also had a word of warning for his assistant Carla Moss, who is slated to take over from him: the effects of the fire could still be felt this coming winter, with El Niño threatening to cause mud slides that would silt up the water and affect the endangered fish. Read more at the San Jose Mercury News.
