Are you interested in coming out to work on the very important work we do for Bull Trout conservation? This program allows volunteers to gain connections to bull trout, their watershed, and professionals working toward preserving this ESA-listed species for the next generation! What is included:
Training to understand the ethics, biology, and field methods we use to recover bull trout
Select field days that work for your schedule
Fish rescue, habitat surveys, demographic surveys, and redd surveys!
Volunteer for Bull Trout Recovery Work
Interested in volunteering in 2025? Reach out before May!
For more information please contact Aimee at- bttf@midcolumbiafisheries.org
Rescues
Some of the most fulfilling work that MCF and partners perform is emergency rescues of Bull Trout in dewatering areas. You will come out with agency professionals at night to rescue Bull Trout which will soon run out of water!
Habitat Surveys
These surveys help establish pre-restoration baseline conditions and the change in condition post-restoration . If you are limited in nighttime availability, these surveys occur during the day. Limited seasonally dependent on active projects and funding.
Are you a college student, working professional, or simply interested in getting outside? Mid-Columbia Fisheries is offering a “dedicated volunteer program.” This program offers the opportunity to plug into an amazing community of fisheries professionals who work to preserve a beautiful threatened fish. It is more involved than a single volunteer event but offers incredible flexibility to sign up for the activities that most interest you! We work in incredibly beautiful places, and we want to show you. This program requires upfront training and signing up for at least 2 activities from July through October. Of course, you can sign up for more! We will be providing fuel reimbursement for travel to and from locations (great for planning some exploring around an area you otherwise wouldn’t go into).
Redd Surveys
Redd surveys are simply hiking in the river rather than on trail! This work is repeated annually across established areas, and we cover some truly beautiful terrain! Different areas require different levels of fitness, but overall people should come ready to walk in the river.
Demographic Surveys
Another night-time work opportunity! Come assist our snorkel team as we assess population dynamics in a few key areas! You will start as a bank observer but if you wish to learn how to snorkel and count fish – we will train you.
Rock Dam Removal
You see them everywhere! They are illegal! People use them to cool down in the heat of summer but this keeps fish from getting to the cooler waters they need to lay their eggs. Help us educate recreationists and remove these structures (Reminder: you don’t need to volunteer with us to remove a rock dam! If you see one, feel free to take it down).
Outreach and Education
A large component of MCF is to get out to let people know about Bull Trout. Teaching people about fish ID, threats, recovery projects, and simply being present in the watershed where bull trout live is an important part of our work. We are always representing at a professional level, and our volunteers would be included in this.
TJ Westre, Bull Trout Volunteer 2023
“I chose to volunteer with Mid-Columbia Fisheries with the intent to learn more about local conservation efforts and directly participate in the preservation of wild fish habitat. From the beginning, the team was eager to get me involved, and their enthusiasm and breadth of knowledge made field work both fun and engaging. I got to fully appreciate the planning and execution behind wild fish conservation, and learned just how tenuous some of these river systems and fish species are. The field work led by Mid-Columbia Fisheries is critical to long term sustenance of these habitats, and I was grateful to be a part of that long-term vision. As both an outdoor recreationalist and angler, I have a renewed appreciation for these wild spaces and the people that work to protect them. I’m excited to continue volunteering and learning alongside this organization!”
