It was a unique rescue effort in the wake of Southern California’s wildfires to try to save some endangered fish.
Hundreds of Southern California Steelhead that were safely moved to a fish hatchery in Ventura County now have a new home in Santa Barbara County.
The endangered species of trout living in Topanga Creek were threatened by Palisades Fire ash and fire being carried into the creek by storms.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife launched a rescue operation, with a small army of people from different agencies catching 271 fish. They were moved to the Fillmore Fish Hatchery. The 266 surviving fish were then moved to Arroyo Hondo Creek on the Gaviota Coast.
The hope is to eventually reintroduce some of the fish to Topanga Creek. But biologists now say because of the level of ash and debris pollution, it may be years before the water is clean enough to support them.
