Conservation Article
Why Wild Steelhead Matter to Me?
“Wild steelhead are one of Nature's wonders. My pursuit of wild fish has taken me to many rivers in some of British Columbia's most scenic and wilderness settings and my life has been so much more enriched by wild steelhead.”
Art Lingren
Author, Conservationist
“Wild steelhead connects you to something primal and wild in an increasingly tame world. If you've ever fished, hiked a stream, or simply valued knowing untamed places still exist, wild steelhead embody that. Their disappearance means your rivers are broken.
Maybe you'll never catch one, but knowing a fish can journey 10,000 miles from your local creek to the ocean and back gives your home landscape epic scale. When the last wild steelhead vanishes from a river, you lose a neighbor that's been there for millennia, and a piece of what makes your place worth calling home.”
Brian Bennett
Wild Steelhead Coalition
“What fish represents the best of British Columbia’s broad array of fish species? Which one is the consummate example of diversity and resilience? Which one lives in the most scenic rivers bisecting valleys bounded by spectacular, majestic mountains? Which one commands such respect that it attracts anglers from the four corners of planet earth to apply the most ineffective gear ever in pursuit of a fish they only seek to touch and send home? Which one is the ultimate barometer of our collective ability to protect and sustain natural environments? Wild steelhead perfectly exemplify all of the above. Their future is what matters.”
R.S. (Bob) Hooton
Author, Retired Fisheries Biologist
“Wild steelheads are shaped by their environment, through natural selection, until they fit perfectly within it. All the diversity of body size, run timing, and behaviours among wild steelhead are their genetic and physiological responses to Mother Nature's directives. As a steelhead angler, I cherish this diversity. It is deeply satisfying to me each time I learn more about the fish and about how and where they may be fished for. As a biologist, I also understand that this diversity is essential to the long-term survival of steelhead populations. A bright future for steelhead angling, therefore, depends on our respect for wild steelhead and the wild places that support them and drive their uniqueness.”
John Hagen
Independent Fisheries Biologist, Steelhead Bum
“Steelheads are more than fish; they are a symbol of resilience and connection. These fish tie me to the rivers, my family, and a way of life rooted in respect for nature. Every cast reminds me of the balance between conservation and tradition. For my family, steelhead represents a legacy passed down through generations, a bond with wild rivers and shared values. Advocating for the protections of steelhead means safeguarding not only an iconic species but the traditions that unite families and communities. Every effort I make ensures future generations can experience the same wonder and responsibility we cherish today.”
Jessea Grice
BC FFF Director, SFAC Rep Skeena Smithers
“Wild steelhead matter to me because they are simply more than a fish; they’re threads in the tapestry of the Pacific North West, symbols of wild resilience and guardians of healthy rivers. They remind me that the world is still wild, still sacred, and still worth fiercely protecting. They are the heartbeat of living water and a keystone fish species, so in the places where wild steelhead thrive, so do our watersheds and land.”
Kate Watson
Educator, Guide, Conservationist
“Wild steelhead once mattered greatly to me because I spent so much time trying to catch them, but old age and infirmity have reduced those adventures to memories. Nevertheless, wild steelhead DO still matter to me, because I believe their magnificent presence and inspiring life history make them a vital, irreplaceable part of our Northwest way of life.
Therefore, if you call yourself a Northwesterner, you have to love wild steelhead.
And if you’re fortunate enough to catch one, just pause briefly to admire it, then release it very carefully!”
Steve Raymond
Author, Northwesterner, Conservationist
“To me, wild steelhead embodies all that is splendid in B.C.’s natural history. What these fish lack in numbers they excel in diversity and sheer tenacity. They have evolved in the face of myriad conditions, both saltwater and freshwater, each population finely honed to secure its survival and pass on its genes. Steelhead have perhaps the most diverse life histories of all Pacific salmonids, and we are unlikely ever to replicate this complexity through technology. My hope is that wild steelhead go beyond the holy grail they represent for many an angler and are recognized as a majestic component of the province’s biodiversity legacy.”
Sue Pollard
Senior Biologist, Freshwater Fisheries of BC
