Restoring steelhead trout may cost California $2.1 billion

Restoring steelhead trout in Calif may cost $2.1B
VENTURA, Calif. (AP) — A new federal report says it will cost as much as $2.1 billion to restore the endangered steelhead trout to Southern California rivers and streams over the next 100 years.

The Ventura County Star (http://bit.ly/w6QHAw ) says the 600-page report from the National Marine Fisheries says, in addition to fish, the region will gain jobs, increased tourism and an improved ecosystem from the restoration.

Before World War II there were nearly 45,000 steelhead trout swimming in Southern California’s waterways.

Today there are about 500.

Years of development, agriculture, ranching, mining and other development severely depleted the steelhead habitat.

The species went onto the endangered species list in 1997.

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Information from: Ventura County Star, http://venturacountystar.com