Looking for a stocking stuffer for the angler in your life? Minnesota Sea Grant has created a decal to help identify the differences between steelhead and salmon - a difference that separates the legal and the illegal.
Currently, harvesting Coho and Chinook salmon is legal in area lakes, but the very similar looking Steelhead is not legal to catch and keep. "Steelhead were first introduced in 1895 and became naturalized, which means they started reproducing on their own," says Don Schreiner, Fisheries Specialist with Minnesota Sea Grant. "Those populations started to decline... so in 1997 we implemented a catch-and-release only regulation for Steelhead."
In order to protect Steelhead numbers, Sea Grant has created a decal that shows how to differentiate the species from each other. The decal can be applied to fishing vessels and tackle boxes, thus always being at the ready for reference.
Schreiner has been collecting new data about this initiative. In the very early stages of gathering responses, 100% of anglers reporting back to Sea Grant have stated support for the informative decal and would like to see additional decals for other species. About 30% have reported that they would have illegally harvested a Steelhead if not for the guidance of the decal.
To order a decal for yourself or as a gift for a fellow angler, visit the MN Sea Grant website. Sea Grant also has a monthly newsletter available to anyone looking for regular information from the organization.
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