Santa Barbara Flyfishers, a group that is spearheading a long-term effort to restore Southern California Steelhead to the local region, invites the community to a free Town Hall event, 1-3 p.m. Sunday, March 9 at the Lobero Theater.

At the gathering, experts will talk about ways to save the endangered steelhead. Among the speakers will be:

· Santa Ynez Band, Chumash Indians, cultural director

·  California Trout, regional project director

· Cachuma Board, lead fisheries biologist

·  California Department of Fish & Wildlife, lead fishery biologist for Southern Steelhead

· Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, policy associate

· Environmental Defense Center, Watershed Program director

· Santa Barbara Flyfishers, conservation chair

· Koehler Winery (fish passage project location), winery manager

The format will encourage Q&A from the audience.

In addition, the Grace Fisher Foundation, a partner for Steelhead Recovery, will join for a day of art to commemorate Save Santa Barbara Steelhead.

Southern California Steelhead are sea-run rainbow trout and anadromous, meaning they are born in freshwater streams, migrate to the ocean to mature, and return to fresh water to spawn. These fish need the environmental assets we humans use — ocean, rivers, watersheds.

Once abundant in the Santa Ynez River and local streams, their populations have plummeted from up to 30,000 to a mere handful, under 20 today.

The Chumash Indians had a deep cultural and spiritual connection to Isha’kowoch (Chumash for Southern California Steelhead). Until the 1950s, the Santa Ynez River was renowned for its steelhead fishing, both for the Chumash Indians and settlers, with large fish reaching 20 pounds or more.

To offer ways to help save Santa Barbara Steelhead, the town hall will:

· Raise awareness about the critical state of Southern California Steelhead.

· Educate residents on the fish’s historical and cultural importance.

· Inform the community about actions needed to save them.

· Encourage active participation in restoration efforts.

For tickets, visit https://www.lobero.org/events/fly-fishing-film-tour/. View the full day schedule of events at www.sbflyfishers.org.

Lobero link: https://www.lobero.org/events/save-santa-barbara-steelhead-sb-flyfishers/

Later that evening at the Lobero, the Santa Barbara Flyfishers will host the Fly Fishing Film Tour 2025. The program offers a collection of fly fishing films created by anglers and film makers pursuing various species of game fish in the most beautiful places in the world.