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Isabella. Around the turn of the century, when modern man arrived in their country, things began to change for the Golden trout. Human populations in California increased dramatically. Word quickly spread about the remarkable fish of the Kern river. Sportfishing and hunting rapidly depleted the populations of Golden Trout. In efforts to improve fishing, and to provide a greater food source, people began to transplant Golden Trout into other waters of the Sierras, mostly surrounding lakes and streams which, up to that time, had remained barren of any fish life. Also, around this time, in order to improve fishing, other fish species not native to the waters of the Kern were introduced into the river.
By the 1940's biologists began to notice that something was happening to the Golden Trout. Populations had begun to dwindle, and fish that had once been unique and brilliant in their coloration looked, somehow, different. Research was begun at that time to determine what was happening to California's prized Golden Trout. In the 1960's, while genetic research went on, several enthusiastic biologists set out into Kern Plateau to evaluate the status of the Golden Trout, California's State Fish. What they found was alarming. Competition with introduced fish species, such as Brown Trout and Brook trout had severely reduced Golden Trout populations, and worse yet, interbreeding with introduced Rainbow Trout had caused the Golden Trout to hybridize, that is, to have offspring that are neither Golden nor Rainbow Trout. Surveys showed that in a habitat that once encompassed 100 miles of river, only one or two isolated tributary streams, perhaps less than two miles of creek, contained "pure" Little Kern Golden Trout. Volcano Creek Golden Trout fared little better, "pure" species occupied several larger streams, and the South Fork of the Kern, but, of the original 150 miles of habitat, less than 20 miles remained to them. The Kern River Rainbow was extirpated from most of the Kern River and inhabited only a fraction of its origininal habitat. Clearly, something had to be done to save these marvelous fish from the brink of extinction.
Thanks to a handful of enthusiastic biologists, support from a small knot of concerned citizens and State financial support, something wonderful was done, the Golden Trout Recovery program was begun. Huge portions of the Kern Plateau were designated as the Golden Trout Wilderness. Invading non native fish were erraticated from many miles of river and tributaries. Barriers were built at several locations to stop non native fish from migrating into waters now protected for Golden Trout only. The program took nearly twenty years to complete, and last year the Little Kern Golden Trout, at last, was fully restored as a pure population to the full 100 miles of river and tributaries it historically occupied. It is now a candidate for being taken off the endangered species list. The Volcano Creek Golden Trout restoration was completed in the early 80's, and over 90 miles of river and tributaries were restored. Work continues on the Kern River Rainbow, which has only recently been identified as a species of Golden trout.
The success of the Golden Trout Recovery program is something we can all be very proud of. It represents a perfect model of what can be done to protect some of our most prized species. The persons and organizations that pioneered the recovery of the state's most beautiful trout must be congratulated on the long hard struggle to save this little fish. Were it not for them and their vision for the future, there well
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