Priority Action Coho Team (PACT)

Coho salmon populations are declining throughout California, but are most at risk of extirpation in the streams and rivers of the Central California Coast from Santa Cruz County to the Russian River. In response to this situation, California Department of Fish & Wildlife and NOAA Fisheries has jointly developed an inter-agency team named the Priority Action Coho Team (PACT).

The mission of the team is to work with other agencies and stakeholders to identify and implement recovery actions to prevent the imminent extirpation of coho salmon populations in the Central California Coast.

A number of technical working groups have been established to identify measures which might be taken to:

1. Improve and restore suitable habitat conditions in coastal watersheds.
2. Investigate the feasibility of developing captive rearing programs to supplement coho salmon populations.
3. Determine suitable instream flow conditions for the survival and reproduction of coho salmon populations.
4. Improve permitting and regulatory enforcement.
5. Develop education and outreach to better inform the general public of the plight of California coho salmon.
6. Secure additional funding for coho salmon recovery.

To restore coho salmon populations in the Central California Coast will require urgent actions from both government and non-government agencies and organizations, and a wide range of stakeholders and local community groups. The Technical Working Groups are in the process of developing guidance documents.