June 2005 Conservation Notes

by

Golden trout hybrid
A Fish Creek Golden

Update on the Golden Trout Project in October (PFF Work Party)

As reported here in May, the PFF is organizing a group to participate in one of the California Golden Trout Project work parties. The project is the result of a collaboration among Trout Unlimited (TU), California Trout (CalTrout) and the Federation of Flyfishers (FFF) to assist the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) in their efforts to protect and restore the California Golden Trout. To date, the following club members (and guests) have notified me that they intend to participate. I have forwarded all of the applications I have received so far (as of 6 June) to the Project Volunteer Coordinator.

Applications Received
  1. Joe Eberle
  2. Jeff Eberle
  3. John Eberle
  4. Matt Rossie
  5. Jerry Gray
  6. Gary Trott
  7. Rodney Chun
Applications Not Yet Received
  1. Mike McGuire
  2. Bob Schwehr
  3. Roger Finke

For those of you who still want to participate, please first read the description of the project and all of the (physical) requirements by downloading the following: description (pdf) and application form. You can read a web-version of the same material by browsing over to the Trout Unlimited site. We will help take down fencing which protects the South Fork of the Kern River from grazing cattle and then assist the CA DFG biologist in an electrofishing survey. The project dates are Oct 1 - 2, 2005 (Sat and Sun).

Because they are looking for 15 to 20 volunteers, there is probably still room for additional PFFers. However, please contact me as soon as possible to express your interest. Then fill out the application form and send to the Volunteer Project Coordinator whose address is listed on the last page of the application. Also, be sure to list your club affiliation on the form.

Since there is already a fair number of attendees, I will coordinate a a ride-share. We will leave Friday morning (Sept 30) and aim to return on Sunday night. I suspect a number of you will use the opportunity to explore (and fish) for the Goldens so we can work out those logistics as necessary. By the way, if you read the description carefully, the organizers left a bit of time open for fishing!

Help the golden trout and give something back to our sport. Sign up!

Help CalTrout with the 2005 Lake Merced Trout Days

Every year California Trout (CalTrout) holds a "Trout Day" event. This year it will occur on Saturday, June 11th. Volunteer opportunities are available from 7:15 am through 3:00 pm, with starting times throughout the day. (Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age.)

About Trout Day: Trout Day 2005 is the second annual celebration of the restoration of Lake Merced and the return of family fishing to its shores. Free fishing, kid's clinics, trophy-sized fish and watershed education highlight this year's festivities. Trout Day 2005 will continue the momentum established last year toward long-term education and recreation programs at the lake to broadly benefit the San Francisco community. Last April over 1,500 people gathered at Lake Merced for the first annual Trout Day.

CalTrout Volunteer Opportunities:
  1. Group Leaders: Teach and help kids fish.
  2. Greeters: Greet and register participants.
  3. Lifeguards: Volunteers with Red Cross life guard certifications are requested.
  4. Fish Cleaners: Clean and bag the fish for the attendees to take home and enjoy.
  5. Work Team: Venue set-up, tear-down and misc. help throughout the day.

Contact: Brian Stranko at California Trout (415-392-8887) or email him at info@caltrout.org with information on which volunteer opportunity you're interested in. More details are available at: www.caltroutday.org/index.htm.

Coastal Cleanup Days 2005

Coastal Cleanup Days

In the belief that it is never too early to start planning events, the date for the 21st Coastal Clean Day has been set for 17 September 2005 (Sat). Unfortunately, by pure coincidence, the club will be holding the Upper Sac fishout that weekend (which I am organizing as fishmaster) so I will be unavailable to help then.

This is a perfect opportunity for another PFFer to help with the club's conservation events. This would be an easy-to-manage project because every county will have organizing staff assigned to manage the activities. The main task at the club level would be to organize our own members and to help clean up our beaches!

For more information, see the CA Coastal Commission website. On an interesting note, although this event started as a "coastal" cleanup, it is spreading to land-locked counties and is developing into a "waterways" cleanup day.

That's all for this month. Thanks for reading.

– Rodney