Wednesday January 28, 2026
California Trout —
San Francisco, Calif. — California Trout (CalTrout) announced the launch of State of the Salmonids III (SOS III), a comprehensive, once-a-decade scientific assessment of the status of all 32 native salmon, steelhead, and trout species in California. Building on previous assessments released in 2008 (SOS) and 2017 (SOS II), SOS III will deliver the most current, credible, and transparent evaluation of salmonid population health across the state—at a time when California’s rivers and streams are undergoing rapid transformation.
California’s freshwater ecosystems are at a crossroads. Climate change, warming waters, altered landscapes and flows, and intensifying demands on water are reshaping rivers that once supported abundant fish populations. Salmon, steelhead, and trout are not only iconic species—they are indicators of watershed health, and their fate is inseparable from the future of California itself.