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News Release: For Immediate Release
April 7, 2003
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'California Heritage Trout Challenge' To Award Successful Anglers
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Contact: David Lentz, Heritage and Wild Trout Project, (916) 358-2831; Troy Swauger, Information Officer, (916) 654-2096
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The California Fish and Game Commission at its April 3 meeting approved a new education feature to honor anglers who catch six of the state's 11 kinds of native trout. Anglers who meet the minimum requirements will receive a colorful certificate recognizing their accomplishment as part of the new California Heritage Trout Challenge.
The recognition of anglers who have caught native trout is an education effort that is part of the Commission's California Heritage Trout Program. The Heritage Trout Challenge enables anglers to receive a personalized award from the Commission and the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) for their accomplishments in learning about, fishing for, and catching California's native trout.
To qualify for the certificate, anglers must catch six different native trout from their historic drainages, then document their catch on an application form. Applications for the certificate will require anglers to verify when and where trout were caught and must include photographs of each fish. There are no time or deadline requirements for the catches so that previously caught native trout, if properly documented, would qualify even if caught decades ago.
The designation of "historic drainages" - distinct from "native ranges" - will qualify catches of certain native trout that are present in locations not part of the original native range but are within the trout's native drainage. This distinction is also consistent with usage of these terms in the Commission's Wild Trout Waters policy. This will make catching of some native trout, especially the inland cutthroats - due to very limited distribution within the native ranges in California - more feasible for anglers seeking the certificate. Anglers may need to do some research to learn about native trout distribution as part of the Challenge.
Anglers completing the Heritage Trout Challenge will receive an attractive, numbered, recognition certificate that is individually printed with the angler's name and features the art of renowned fish illustrator Joseph Tomelleri, representing the trout caught. The certificate will commemorate the dates and waters where the native fish were taken, and bear the signatures of the Commission president and the Director of DFG.
Roger Bloom, DFG wild trout biologist and developer of the Heritage Trout Challenge concept, said: "I believe anglers from around the country will find the Heritage Trout Challenge certificate a highly appealing and valued memento of their fishing pursuits for California's diverse native trout."
An information and application leaflet for the certificate will be available shortly from DFG's Fisheries Programs Branch, Heritage and Wild Trout Program. The application form will also be made available to download from DFG's website www.dfg.ca.gov. The branch will maintain the criteria to earn the certificate, evaluate applications, and award certificates to successful applicants. Anglers may earn one certificate per year. Over time, should they catch a different combination of six native trout, anglers may apply for an additional certificate.
California Heritage Trout is a recent addition to DFG's Wild Trout Program highlighting restoration, education, and angling activities relating specifically to California's native trout. The Commission established this program in 1998, by expanding its Wild Trout Policy so that streams or lakes featuring one or more of the state's native trout, and meeting other specific criteria, may be designated as Heritage Trout waters. Heritage Trout waters are a special subset of Wild Trout waters. Therefore, they are monitored and managed by DFG's Heritage and Wild Trout Program staff. In addition, the management of designated Heritage Trout waters is guided by written management plans that identify actions and policies necessary to protect native trout habitats, and maintain or enhance native trout populations.
Angling opportunities for California's native trout have existed in limited, specific waters for a number of years. One of the goals of California Heritage Trout is to open new angling opportunities for native trout, after certain populations have been successfully restored. Some Heritage Trout waters offer unique opportunities to catch a rare native trout in its native habitat while in others, the size and abundance of fish may provide exceptional angling, comparable to that of traditional designated Wild Trout waters. DFG manages California Heritage Trout waters in such a way that angling is compatible with native trout conservation. Designated waters may have special angling regulations to assure the fishery will not adversely affect native trout populations or habitats. Waters that are important refuge for native trout may be restricted to zero-limit "catch-and-release" angling only.
April 7, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'California Heritage Trout Challenge' To Award Successful Anglers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact: David Lentz, Heritage and Wild Trout Project, (916) 358-2831; Troy Swauger, Information Officer, (916) 654-2096
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The California Fish and Game Commission at its April 3 meeting approved a new education feature to honor anglers who catch six of the state's 11 kinds of native trout. Anglers who meet the minimum requirements will receive a colorful certificate recognizing their accomplishment as part of the new California Heritage Trout Challenge.
The recognition of anglers who have caught native trout is an education effort that is part of the Commission's California Heritage Trout Program. The Heritage Trout Challenge enables anglers to receive a personalized award from the Commission and the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) for their accomplishments in learning about, fishing for, and catching California's native trout.
To qualify for the certificate, anglers must catch six different native trout from their historic drainages, then document their catch on an application form. Applications for the certificate will require anglers to verify when and where trout were caught and must include photographs of each fish. There are no time or deadline requirements for the catches so that previously caught native trout, if properly documented, would qualify even if caught decades ago.
The designation of "historic drainages" - distinct from "native ranges" - will qualify catches of certain native trout that are present in locations not part of the original native range but are within the trout's native drainage. This distinction is also consistent with usage of these terms in the Commission's Wild Trout Waters policy. This will make catching of some native trout, especially the inland cutthroats - due to very limited distribution within the native ranges in California - more feasible for anglers seeking the certificate. Anglers may need to do some research to learn about native trout distribution as part of the Challenge.
Anglers completing the Heritage Trout Challenge will receive an attractive, numbered, recognition certificate that is individually printed with the angler's name and features the art of renowned fish illustrator Joseph Tomelleri, representing the trout caught. The certificate will commemorate the dates and waters where the native fish were taken, and bear the signatures of the Commission president and the Director of DFG.
Roger Bloom, DFG wild trout biologist and developer of the Heritage Trout Challenge concept, said: "I believe anglers from around the country will find the Heritage Trout Challenge certificate a highly appealing and valued memento of their fishing pursuits for California's diverse native trout."
An information and application leaflet for the certificate will be available shortly from DFG's Fisheries Programs Branch, Heritage and Wild Trout Program. The application form will also be made available to download from DFG's website www.dfg.ca.gov. The branch will maintain the criteria to earn the certificate, evaluate applications, and award certificates to successful applicants. Anglers may earn one certificate per year. Over time, should they catch a different combination of six native trout, anglers may apply for an additional certificate.
California Heritage Trout is a recent addition to DFG's Wild Trout Program highlighting restoration, education, and angling activities relating specifically to California's native trout. The Commission established this program in 1998, by expanding its Wild Trout Policy so that streams or lakes featuring one or more of the state's native trout, and meeting other specific criteria, may be designated as Heritage Trout waters. Heritage Trout waters are a special subset of Wild Trout waters. Therefore, they are monitored and managed by DFG's Heritage and Wild Trout Program staff. In addition, the management of designated Heritage Trout waters is guided by written management plans that identify actions and policies necessary to protect native trout habitats, and maintain or enhance native trout populations.
Angling opportunities for California's native trout have existed in limited, specific waters for a number of years. One of the goals of California Heritage Trout is to open new angling opportunities for native trout, after certain populations have been successfully restored. Some Heritage Trout waters offer unique opportunities to catch a rare native trout in its native habitat while in others, the size and abundance of fish may provide exceptional angling, comparable to that of traditional designated Wild Trout waters. DFG manages California Heritage Trout waters in such a way that angling is compatible with native trout conservation. Designated waters may have special angling regulations to assure the fishery will not adversely affect native trout populations or habitats. Waters that are important refuge for native trout may be restricted to zero-limit "catch-and-release" angling only.
