Kamchatka Steelhead Project UpdateJuly 2024
Fall Science and Anti-Poaching Expedition Preparing to Execute
Kamchatka’s Wild Steelhead Photo by Matt Harris
Dear Kamchatka Steelhead Protectors,
In this not-so-faraway land of volcanos, tundra, grizzly bears and wild rivers, Moscow State University and The Conservation Angler co-direct the joint Russian-American Kamchatka Steelhead Project (KSP) - a listed program under the US-Russia Agreement on the Environment.
For thirty years this unique program has fostered a cooperative and very dramatic rebound of wild Kamchatkan steelhead populations from near-extinction following a period of industrial-level poaching on the heels of the collapse of the Soviet Union. The scientific work, jointly accomplished between Russian and American fishery scientists, has produced a better understanding of life history strategies which have contributed to these recoveries, and provided a road map to better steelhead management throughout their Pacific range.
Since 1994, these efforts have been underwritten by sponsoring anglers who, as volunteers, collect these fish through low impact catch and release angling. However, the COVID pandemic in 2020 and the on-going war in Ukraine since 2022 have prevented execution of the KSP’s usual fiscal model underwritten by sponsoring volunteer anglers.
Despite these obstacles, The Conservation Angler and our Russian partners have mounted joint scientific and anti-poaching expeditions in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 to protect the conservation gains on these remote and pristine rivers.
In 2024, we again face the fiscal challenge of mounting and sustaining our ongoing scientific and anti-poaching conservation programs in the absence of sponsoring anglers. We can be certain that should we fail to maintain our presence on these remote and pristine world class rivers, the poachers will return - with predictable consequences for wild steelhead.
With support from our partners in the Moscow State University Ichthyology Department, we will conduct a 30-day scientific/anti-poaching operation covering the Utkholok, Kvachina and Snotalvayam Rivers from September through October. This will cost about $60,000 USD. To date, we have raised $35,000 -so our funding goal for this appeal is $25,000.00.
Thank you to those who have already contributed to this effort.
The Conservation Angler requests your support to raise this modest sum that will sustain this important international science and conservation expedition that will secure our collective and collaborative conservation achievements on Kamchatka’s iconic wild steelhead rivers.
The Conservation Angler and I sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding. If you have any questions about western travel to Kamchatka, please contact me directly by email or phone (425 501 9852).
Please read on for a short Primer on the KSP and recent news on US Travel Advisories.
Warm regards,
Pete Soverel
KSP Founder and Board Chair of The Conservation Angler
soverel@theconservationangler.org
Kamchatka Steelhead Project Partners
Primer on the Kamchatka Steelhead Project
The KSP is an international scientific program approved under the US-Russia Agreement on the Environment and is co-directed by The Conservation Angler and Moscow State University. Annual field programs are submitted to the Russian Ministry of Environment (RME) for final approval and scientific permitting.
Moscow State (under the stewardship of Professor Kirill Kuzishchin) directs the science program, oversees data collection, provides scientific analysis of collected samples, submits annual reports to the RME and to TCA, and coordinates anti-poaching enforcement with Russian federal fisheries personnel in Moscow and Kamchatka
The Fly Shop in Redding, California is the program's booking agent. TFS expert staff coordinate with sponsors and with TCA for all groups in all sessions.
TCA contracts outfitting services with Kamchatka Trophy Hunts (owned by Anatoly Turushev) who provides logistic support and coordinates aviation and staffing. With restricted participation by western angler groups, TCA works directly with our Russian contacts to mount annual field expeditions. Typically, TCA subsidizes the interim program with donor gifts and contributions, in addition to occasional sponsorships from small groups of Russian fly fishers.
TCA is a not-for-profit scientific entity with limited financial means outside of sponsoring anglers and generous individual gifts from our KSP alumni who have helped us protect and support the long-term conservation of and scientific understanding of Russian steelhead. Individual sponsorships are deposited and held in a restricted account reserved for KSP Expeditions, and conservatively expended only for direct KSP operations.
Over the preceding three years, we have successfully secured additional funding to support the ongoing scientific, anti-poaching and conservation operations. The generosity of KSP alumni has preserved sponsorship funds and I expect this will apply this year as well – with your support.
We look forward to resuming full-scale KSP operations when sponsors are able to safely and confidently participate in our joint scientific and conservation activities with our partners at Moscow State University, Kamchatka Trophy Hunts, and The Fly Shop.
The budget to maintain TCA’s 2024 KSP scientific, conservation and anti-poaching campaign.
Expenses
KSP mission expenses (excluding aviation costs) $43,750.00
Sergey Lamzov Scholarship $2,000.00
Moscow State Univ. science budget $12,000.00
Expense Subtotal $57,750.00
Revenues
TCA Operational Support $25,000.00
Russian flyfishing sponsors (4) @ $8,500.00 $34,000.00
Revenue Subtotal $59,000.00
Note: Russian sponsors fund the entire aviation budget of $26,250.00
Update on Travel to Russia
Link to Most Recent US Department of State Travel Advisory for Russia
