In a significant conservation effort, some 200 critically endangered Southern California steelhead trout, rescued from Topanga Creek following the Palisades Fire in January, have been successfully relocated to the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County’s Arroyo Hondo Preserve.

The release, made possible through a partnership between the Land Trust, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains (RCDSMM), marks an important step in the preservation of the region’s native fish populations and their habitats.

“We’ve been holding our breath for weeks to see if this delicate transfer would be successful,” said Meredith Hendricks, executive director of the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County. “We are so pleased to be able to share that the fish appear to have survived and are engaged in normal activities.”

The Palisades Fire destroyed critical habitat in the Topanga Creek watershed that the endangered trout called home. In the aftermath of the fire, experts feared the trout would be lost due to the threat of post-fire mudslides.

Responding to the threat, RCDSMM and the CDFW staff coordinated efforts to rescue the trout before the first storm could hit. The fish were transported to Fillmore Hatchery for safekeeping until the decision was made to release them in Arroyo Hondo Creek.

“CDFW is lucky to work with a great partner and land manager in the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County,” said Kyle Evans, environmental program manager overseeing fisheries for CDFW in Southern California.

“Our groups have worked together for years so when we needed a place to put the fish captured from Topanga, the Land Trust was our first call,” Evans said.

As expected, in late January, rainstorms led to mudslides that filled all the pools and channels of Topanga Creek with debris. In early February, scientists identified Arroyo Hondo Creek as a suitable new home for the rescued trout.

The stream, on the Conception Coast, closely mirrors the conditions of Topanga Creek, providing an ideal environment for the trout to survive and thrive.

“We are grateful that we were able to rescue the trout prior to the rains, as any fish remaining in Topanga have been lost to the mudflows,” said Rosi Dagit, principal conservation biologist for RCDSMM.

“We hope that transplanting this population will result in successful breeding increasing abundance and distribution in Arroyo Hondo so that in several years when the Topanga habitat recovers, there will be sufficient numbers of trout to take some back to Topanga,”Dagit said.

On Feb. 10, the second phase of the rescue operation was carried out. A truck transported trout from the Fillmore Hatchery to Arroyo Hondo Creek.

Once at the site, the trout were placed into 5-gallon buckets equipped with aerators and carefully carried to designated release areas within Arroyo Hondo Creek by a team of staff from CDFW, RCDSMM, NOAA, Watershed Stewards Program members, and the Land Trust.

The release sites included accessible areas along the trail and more remote sections that required hiking through the stream channel to reach.

“Having been on the board since 1993, I was around when the Land Trust purchased the Arroyo Hondo property in 2001 and subsequently turned it into a preserve for our community to enjoy,” said Ken Marshall, Land Trust for Santa Barbara County Board member.

“It was heartwarming to have been a part of the team that physically transported the trout to Arroyo Hondo Creek. I will never forget that day,” he said.

Arroyo Hondo Creek’s suitability was due in part to the Land Trust’s ongoing conservation efforts, including the completion of a fish passage project funded by the California Natural Resource Agencies in 2008, which improved fish movement between the creek and the ocean.

Additionally, CDFW’s history of fish monitoring in the area, and the creek’s recovery from the 2021 Alisal Fire, made it a prime place for the relocation.

Scientists have confirmed that the rescued steelhead are still thriving in Arroyo Hondo Creek, and ongoing research will monitor their progress, the Land Trust reports,

“This is a full circle moment that emphasizes the interconnectedness of our communities and natural world,” said Leslie Chan, Land Programs director for the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County. “I started my career in conservation 20 years ago working in the Santa Monica Mountains. I’m thrilled that our team has been able to welcome the fish to their new home.

“We look forward to sharing the story with our visitors of how decades of effort and cooperation made this rescue possible.”

Arroyo Hondo Preserve is open during limited hours to protect the trout and other native animals and plants that inhabit the canyon. Visitors can help protect the habitat by staying on the trails and following other preserve guidelines. Make a reservation to come and enjoy our beautiful preserve.

Visitors might spot one of the elusive trout in their new home, but sightings are rare. Note these are critically endangered fish and that it is unlawful to capture, harm, or kill them, the Land Trust advises.

For more about the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County and its conservation efforts, visit www.sblandtrust.org.