Monday, March 5, 2012

Chetco River salmon in amazing underwater video

Photographer Thomas Dunklin shares this beautiful new video of the Wild and Scenic Chetco River's chinook salmon. See below for references and links to articles about the importance of native fish populations.


Chetco River Chinook Salmon - 11/11/11 from Thomas B. Dunklin on Vimeo.


The Chetco is a entirely free flowing river known for it's large chinook salmon (weighing up to 65 pounds), mint bright steelhead trout, exceptional water clarity and the nationally outstanding angling experience it provides. Its sports fishery plays plays a major economic role along America's Wild Rivers Coast and Curry County.

Thank you Thomas for providing us with a unique view of the Chetco River and to Tim and Ann for their support. To see more of Thomas' work click here or go to his Vimeo page.


The importance of native naturally reproducing fish populations
Native naturally reproducing salmon, in un-dammed river's like the Chetco, bring essential nutrients from the sea to the rivers in their bodies. In death they nourish the next generation of salmon and steelhead, along with the flora and fauna of the river's ecosystem. See this article entitled: Pacific Salmon Carcasses: Essential Contribution of Nutrients and Energy in Aquatic and Terrestrial EcosystemsFor more about the importance of native fish populations read Salmon Without Rivers: A history of the Pacific salmon crisis by Jim LichatowichRead Jim's essay at Patagonia: A Natural History of Pacific SalmonOr visit the Native Fish Society website for numerous scientific papers on why its important to preserve native fish populations.

Chetco River Protection Act
Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Representatives Peter DeFazio and Earl Blumenauer have introduced legislation to provide greater protection for the river after proposals were submitted to mine almost half its length for gold. Read more about the Chetco River Protection Act.  A local hearing showed strong support for withdrawing ~ 17 miles of the Wild and Scenic River from entry and location under the 1872 Mining Law and over all comments in support numbered around 9,000.