Fish Monitoring

Fish Barrier Removal

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Napa RCD conducts fish monitoring in the Napa River watershed.

We to collect information about native fish populations with emphasis on two salmonid species – steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha).

Rotary Screw Trap used to track fish data in the Napa River.

Napa RCD Staff injecting a PIT tag into a Steelhead smolt. The tags have a unique code, and the RCD maintains an antenna on the lower Napa River, which records when adult Steelhead return from their ocean journey.

General Info

Napa RCD conducts fish monitoring in the Napa River watershed to collect information about native fish populations with emphasis on two salmonid species – steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha).

As part of our ongoing monitoring efforts, we track the health and movement of salmon and steelhead populations in the Napa River. This includes counting juvenile fish (known as “smolts”) as they migrate to the ocean, documenting adult returns and their spawning locations, conducting snorkeling surveys to observe juvenile fish in their natural habitats, and using implanted tags to monitor individual fish over time. Since 2009, Napa RCD has deployed an 8-foot diameter rotary screw trap annually in the lower Napa River to capture and count juvenile steelhead and salmon as they migrate toward the estuary and ocean.

Want to support our monitoring program?

Napa RCD’s fisheries monitoring program is made possible in part by generous donations from people like you. If you would like to contribute to local fish science, please contact Martin Perales, or visit our donation page.