SANDRA JACOBSON, FORUM CHAIR
CALTROUT
FORUM LEADERSHIP
SANDRA JACOBSON, FORUM CHAIR
CALIFORNIA TROUT
ANNA HALLIGAN, FORUM VICE-CHAIR
TROUT UNLIMITED
Anna Halligan directs Trout Unlimited’s North Coast Coho Project from Fort Bragg, California, and is representing Trout Unlimited on the Fish Passage Forum. Anna has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Warren Wilson College, and has over fourteen years of experience in watershed restoration and project management. Her work has been and continues to be focused on species recovery through process based watershed restoration. Anna also serves on the Caltrans District 1 FishPAC, and as a Board Director for the Salmonid Restoration Federation and Advisory Committee member for the Watershed Stewards Program.
Sandra Jacobson, Ph.D. is the Director for the South Coast and Sierra regions for California Trout. Sandra works with partners statewide to recover endangered steelhead, remove fish passage barriers, restore and protect native trout and their habitat. With a doctorate in genetics, Sandra brings over 30 years in strategic planning and project management in academics, industrial R&D, and environmental biology; building interdisciplinary teams to implement environmental projects. She has been Chair of the California Fish Passage Forum since early 2020. Sandra is an avid fly-fisher, and has traveled throughout the west in search of remote waters, small streams and native (naïve?) trout.
ABOUT US
The California Fish Passage Forum, an association of public, private and government organizations, is working to coordinate and streamline permits required for restoration, and assist private landowners, community groups, and public agencies in efforts to remove migration barriers and restore currently inaccessible habitat. The Forum also seeks long-term funding for fish passage projects, and conducts workshops that provide design and project implementation assistance to landowners and local agencies.
Anadromous fish habitats in California have been impacted by human-caused and natural disturbances. Addressing connectivity has been consistently identified as a high priority, cost-effective approach to protecting and restoring anadromous fish populations. Restoring unimpeded passage for aquatic organisms in anadromous systems is imperative for the success of all habitat restoration activities. A coordinated and comprehensive fish passage improvement program is fundamental to this effort.
Man-made barriers to anadromous fish migration include road and stream crossings, irrigation diversions, dams, and other in-stream structures. Passage impediments affect adult and juvenile fish by delaying or preventing upstream and downstream migration, preventing the use of available habitat, and possibly inflicting injury or death. The Forum was established in response to significant declines in coho salmon, Chinook salmon, and steelhead. At least one population of all of these species are Federally listed as either Threatened or Endangered within California, and efforts are underway to recover their populations. In addition to the salmonid species listed above, the Forum recognizes the significant impacts of passage barriers to Pacific lamprey, white and green sturgeon, Klamath Basin Lost River Sucker, and Shortnose sucker. The Forum strives to facilitate, advance, and disseminate information related to improving passage of all of these species within and beyond the State of California.
Numerous state and federal plans plans identify fish passage and connectivity a high priority for restoration efforts. The Forum coordinates among agency programs and private sector activities across jurisdictions to target high priority projects, and to improve the timeliness and cost-effectiveness of fish passage restoration efforts. The Forum is also exploring opportunities to secure and provide funding for fish passage projects in the anadromous waters of California.
High resolution .pdf of the Forum's geographic scope.
