24 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 12-18, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com TRUTH. Steelhead are declining. Now that’s the truth. When we talk about the Carmel River, we are not just talking about water. We are talking about the lifeblood of a watershed, a community identity shaped by natural resources, and natural resources that reflect our community’s commitment to stewardship. So when residents opened the February 27, 2026 issue of the Carmel Pine Cone and saw an advertisement declaring that the Carmel River steelhead population — listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act — is “thriving,” it was more than just a bold statement, it was a claim about the health of one of our most iconic and imperiled natural resources. This claim could not be further from the truth. Multiple population assessments by the National Marine Fisheries Service over the past decade have characterized the Carmel River steelhead population as declining. Historically, adult steelhead returns have been estimated to be as high as 8,000 to 12,000 fish annually. Nowadays, we are lucky to get between 200 to 300 returning adult steelhead, just a small percentage of the historic numbers. Over the last decade, Carmel River steelhead returns have been among the lowest since monitoring and records have been maintained. The reality is stark: we are far closer to losing this population entirely than to achieving a thriving population. Celebratory messaging built around a single large fish does not substitute for transparent reporting of the actual situation. Monterey Penninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) is well aware of the peril this steelhead population faces. As a primary manager of the river system, MPWMD has a responsibility to communicate accurately about its condition. Presenting a declining steelhead population as “thriving” is irresponsible, misleading, and inconsistent with that duty. While we wish the news were different, the Carmel River steelhead population is not thriving. That said, we remain hopeful about what the future can hold. CRSA deeply appreciates the public’s continued investment in protecting this unique resource, as well as the mitigation and restoration efforts carried out by MPWMD on behalf of the community. Meaningful progress is possible — but only with sustained commitment. Our community efforts, such as restoration projects, monitoring, advocacy, and hands-on volunteer work, have undoubtedly slowed the decline of the population and created an opportunity to work toward recovery. Those efforts matter. They demonstrate that local action can make a difference. But we are not there yet. When we talk about the Carmel River, we are not just talking about water. We are talking about the lifeblood of a watershed, a community identity shaped by natural resources, and natural resources that reflect our community’s commitment to stewardship. When residents opened local publications and saw an advertisement declaring that the Carmel River steelhead population — listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act — is “thriving,” it was more than just a bold statement, it was a claim about the health of one of our most iconic and imperiled natural resources. This claim could not be further from the truth. Multiple population assessments by the National Marine Fisheries Service over the past decade have characterized the Carmel River steelhead population as declining. Historically, adult steelhead returns have been estimated to be as high as 8,000 to 12,000 fish annually. Nowadays, we are lucky to get between 200 to 300 returning adult steelhead, just a small percentage of the historic numbers. Over the last decade, Carmel River steelhead returns have been among the lowest since monitoring and records have been maintained. The reality is stark: we are far closer to losing this population entirely than to achieving a thriving population. Celebratory messaging built around a single large fish does not substitute for transparent reporting of the actual situation. Monterey Penninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) is well aware of the peril this steelhead population faces. As a primary manager of the river system, MPWMD has a responsibility to communicate accurately about its condition. Presenting a declining steelhead population as “thriving” is irresponsible, misleading, and inconsistent with that duty. While we wish the news were different, the Carmel River steelhead population is not thriving. That said, we remain hopeful about what the future can hold. CRSA deeply appreciates the public’s continued investment in protecting this unique resource, as well as the mitigation and restoration efforts carried out by MPWMD on behalf of the community. Meaningful progress is possible — but only with sustained commitment. Our community efforts, such as restoration projects, monitoring, advocacy, and hands-on volunteer work, have undoubtedly slowed the decline of the population and created an opportunity to work toward recovery. Those efforts matter. They demonstrate that local action can make a difference. But we are not there yet. Every year, tens of thousands of juvenile steelhead are at risk of perishing from stream dryback, poor water quality, and predation from non-native species. To combat this CRSA implements restoration projects, conducts annual fish population monitoring, and completes stranded juvenile steelhead rescues. We are currently ramping up for 2026 steelhead rescues and monitoring efforts. Find more information on getting involved at: carmelsteelhead. org. We urge the community to remain engaged and determined so that together we can move beyond stabilization and toward a truly thriving steelhead population. carmelsteelhead.org
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