Sea-Run Cutthroat are all wild! Truly they are a species that deserves protection, and that is exactly what happened when a dedicated and concerned group of anglers approached the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in the mid-1990’s recommending catch and release, single barbless hook and no bait fishing in all Washington marine waters. In 1997 this law went into effect and continues today.
The fish have flourished! Without commercial or sport harvest, numbers have rebounded and the fish populations overall are healthy. Not only have harvest rules protected these fish, but habitat restoration has also been very helpful to increase spawning habitat and stream conditions throughout Western Washington streams.
Many dedicated habitat and restoration groups have been and are working diligently to restore habitat for salmon, steelhead and cutthroat trout, including:
Coastal Cutthroat Coalition
Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group
Long Live The Kings
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Videos:
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife – Sea-Run Cutthroat Video