June 9, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
NOAA funded four projects to engage recreational anglers in habitat conservation in Washington, Virginia, California, and Alaska in 2020. The projects were funded through the National Fish Habitat Partnership. They demonstrated NOAA’s commitment to collaborate with the recreational fishing community. Despite a challenging year, these projects made great progress to benefit coastal communities, fish, and habitats.
Improving Fish Passage on Mink Creek in Alaska
The Takshanuk Watershed Council removed a culvert that was blocking fish passage in Mink Creek in Southeast Alaska in August of 2020. The stream is home to coho and chum salmon, as well as Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout. It is listed in the Alaska Anadromous Waters Catalog, which provides habitat protection under state law. This spring, the Takshanuk Watershed Council began the next phase of the project. This phase includes planting native vegetation along the streambank, constructing a footbridge over the creek, and monitoring fish populations and water quality in the area. These activities will involve youth from the Chilkat Forest Investigators’ after school outdoor science program, as well as recreational anglers. The project will restore the stream and enhance habitat for species important to the recreational and subsistence fishing communities. The culvert removal was funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This work is being conducted as part of the Southeast Alaska Fish Habitat Partnership.