The Continued Need for Connectivity
For eons, presence of migrating anadromous fish at almost all times of year enriched ecosystems and sustained countless generations of indigenous communities. Today, barriers to migration, overharvesting and climate change have led to major declines in these once abundant species.
Preserving intact waterways and habitats, removing fish passage barriers, researching and monitoring our efforts, and communicating the need for continued restoration will help give California’s migratory fish a fighting chance.
The Power of Partnership
Membership is open to organizations working to restore fish passage in historically anadromous CA waters. The Forum provides a dedicated space for our member organizations to share the efforts of their fish passage projects and programs, and bring their collective expertise to guide investment in assessment, implementation and monitoring of fish passage improvement.
More than just Salmonids
For migratory species like Pacific Lamprey, massive white and green sturgeon, and the endemic potadromous Clear Lake Hitch, recovery depends on restoring aquatic connectivity and functional riparian and riverine habitat.
The California Fish Passage Forum recognizes the need for multi-species habitat restoration, and supports assessing, funding, and raising awareness of the needs of California’s diverse migratory fish species.
Annual Funding Opportunity
Annually, the Forum receives funding from the National Fish Habitat Partnership for the support of projects that help the Forum meet its mission and goals. The small competitive grants programs typically ranges from around $10,000-$50,000 for smaller planning or assessment efforts to over $100,000 for complex dam removal or multi-phase design and construction projects.
Fish Passage Science and Data
The Forum Science and Data Committee, supports the collection and management of fish passage restoration data, provides trainings on assessment of fish passage barriers, and supports updates to the Passage Assessment Database (PAD).
Indigenous Lead Restoration
From time immemorial, indigenous peoples tended California’s abundant natural resources using Traditional Ecological Knowledge to support the health of forest, salmon, lamprey, elk, oak, and countless other sources of food, fuel, wood and fiber. Today, tribes are working to recover from the lasting impacts of forced relocation, cultural suppression and criminalization of traditional resource management practices.
Neefus Gulch Coho Salmon Barrier Removal
Neefus Gulch Coho Salmon Barrier Removal — North Fork Navarro River, Mendocino County (Forum Funded in 2018 for $39,513)
The Forum invested in the design of an improved road-stream crossing, as part of a series of improvements from TU, culminating in a 2024 earthen dam removal and the return of spawning coho to habitat absent of fish for 70 years — part of a record 30,000+ CCC coho return in 2024-25.
Benbow Dam Removal
Benbow Dam Removal — South Fork Eel River, Humboldt County (Forum funded in 2017 for $58,499)
The Forum invested in the second-largest concrete dam removal in California at the time, with the partnership between California Department of Parks and Recreation, NOAA, and other agencies. The project opened 100+ miles of South Fork Eel River to unimpeded fish passage.
Santa Margarita River Fish Passage and Bridge Replacement
Santa Margarita River Fish Passage and Bridge Replacement — Santa Margarita River, San Diego County (Funded in 2020 for $47,410)
The Forum invested in the replacement of the last remaining fish passage barrier on the mainstem Santa Margarita River with a full-span bridge to restore migration access for endangered Southern California Steelhead, opening 12 miles of upstream spawning and rearing habitat approximately two miles north of Fallbrook in San Diego County.
Jenny Creek Man-Made Barrier Removal
Jenny Creek Man-Made Barrier Removal — Klamath River, Siskiyou County (Funded in 2024 for $100,000)
The Forum invested in the removal of a barrier on Jenny Creek, the largest tributary in the hydroelectric reach of the Klamath River, which was blocked to anadromous fish for over 60 years, first by Iron Gate Dam and then by its own concrete man-made barrier 1.05 miles upstream of the former reservoir. The removal was timed strategically to coincide with the historic removal of the four Klamath River mainstem dams in 2024 — the largest dam removal project in world history.
About the Forum
The California Fish Passage Forum is a collaborative partnership of researchers, engineers, fisheries and restoration practitioners and advocates working within the state agencies, federal agencies, nonprofits, and tribes to protect and restore California anadromous waterways. The forum members work collaboratively to understand the state of fish passage improvement projects and programs, direct investments into restoration, research, assessment and monitoring, and develop data products, trainings, and media materials to communicate the continued need for restoration. The Forum is a congressionally recognized Fish Habitat Partnership supported by the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP).
Our Impact
Forum Members
14 member organizations, including federal agencies, California state agencies and both California and nationwide nonprofits. The Forum is growing, adding new signatories over the years.
Fish Passage Assessment
The Forum, in partnership with CDFW, PSMFC, and California State Parks, have provided hands-on workshops to teach participants how to accuratly assess natural features or manmade structures for their ability to provide fish passage for anadromous fishes. The Forum is developing these workshops further, and even planning to offer an online training course.
Restoration Funding
So far, the Forum has invested almost $2 million, helping to leverage an additional $350 million from agency partners including NOAA, DWR, CDFW and many others. The Forum funding opportunity represents a comparatively small but important contribution for helping projects reach their cost share needs.
On-the-Ground Impact
From 2012-2025, the California Fish Passage Forum has supported 53 projects across California, collectively representing a significant investment in the recovery of anadromous fish populations statewide. These projects include 36 projects removing one or more fish passage barriers, six habitat enhancement projects, four research and two monitoring projects, and two fish passage assessment projects. These have lead to 70+ barrier removals, opening 300 miles of habitat, and engaging 2,249 partner organizations.
Join
Join the Forum
Organizations working to restore fish passage in historically anadromous CA waters can inquire about membership.
Share
Present your Work
The Forum provides regular opportunities for restoration groups to share their work in Science and Data Committee meetings.
Contribute Data
Add to the PAD
Restoration groups can assess fish passage barriers and add their findings to the Passage Assessment Database.
Part of the National Fish Habitat Partnership
The California Fish Passage Forum is one of 20 Fish Habitat partnerships recognized under the National Fish Habitat Partnership. The mission of the National Fish Habitat Partnership is to protect, restore, and enhance the nation’s fish and aquatic communities through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation and improve the quality of life for the American people. NFHP supports the work of the diverse network of fish habitat partnerships, and produces independent data products to assess the state of Americas freshwater and marine fish populations and habitats through the National Assessment.
Fish Habitat Partnerships operating in California include the California Fish Passage Forum, Pacific Lamprey Conservation Initiative (PLCI), the Pacific Marine and Estuarine Partnership (PMEP), and the Western Native Trout Initiative (WNTI). Read more about each partnership on the National Fish Habitat Partnership Page