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ID: 2716

Larson, Z. S. and M. R. Belchik. 1998. A preliminary status review of eulachon and Pacific lamprey in the Klamath River Basin. Report. Yurok Tribal Fisheries Program, Klamath, California. Available: https://www.trrp.net/library/document?id=2716.

Eulachon (Thaleicthys pacificus) and Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata) are two species of anadromous fish found throughout the northwestern United States and western Canada that have received little attention relative to salmonid species. Eulachon are one of several species of smelts (Osmeridae) that occur off the coast of California. Their spawning migration takes them further into freshwater inlets than any other smelt within their range. They are prized by many tribes of the Pacific Northwest for their taste,and have been tied to tribal culture for centuries. Pacific lamprey are also harvested and considered a delicacy by tribes of the Pacific Northwest; however, lamprey migrate further up rivers and tributaries to spawn than do eulachon, often utilizing habitat hundreds of miles inland from the ocean (Scott and Crossman 1973).  On the Klamath River of northwest California, eulachon and Pacific lamprey are of great importance to the Yurok Tribe but runs have diminished in the past few decades. The objective of this report is to present summarized information and data relevant to the status of eulachon and Pacific lamprey populations of north coastal stocks with emphasis on the Klamath River. This document consists of: 1) a description of the sources of information and data; 2) a summary of available information concerning eulachon and Pacific lamprey; and 3) recommendations for future study. 

First Posted: 2025-06-11 23:41:36

Post Updated: 2025-06-11 23:45:01