Monument status will better protect the source waters of famous trout streams, key habitats, and fishing and hunting opportunities
REDDING, Calif—Today, Trout Unlimited (TU) and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) lauded the announcement from the White House that President Joe Biden will designate the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in the Medicine Lake Volcanic Highlands in northern California, noting this designation would better protect the extraordinary water, cultural, and sporting values of these unique public lands. TU and BHA also said that monument designation will not change oversight of the Sáttítla area’s fish and wildlife and fishing and hunting opportunities, which are managed by the State of California.
Creighton Smith, president of the TU chapter based in Redding, California, said, “The Shasta Trinity Cascades Chapter of Trout Unlimited is committed to protecting and restoring coldwater habitats in the famous fishing waters of our northern California territory, including the Fall River, a truly unique fishery in California that depends entirely on water from the huge aquifer under the Sáttítla region. We have lost so much habitat for trout and salmon, which require clean, cold water to thrive, over the past century — we have to act now to better protect what’s left. President Biden’s designation of the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument is a critically important action for protecting one of the most extraordinary water resource areas in the country – and the exceptional fishing and hunting opportunities this area provides. We salute the Pit River Tribe for their leadership in the campaign to create this monument, and applaud President Biden’s establishment of this monument and his leadership in trout and salmon conservation.”
TU and BHA have worked closely with the Pit River Tribe for over a year to publicize the Sáttítla region’s significance as the cultural heart of the Tribe, its remarkable water resources and sporting opportunities, and to advocate for permanently protecting more than 200,000 acres of this area as a national monument.
Eric Hanson, California Chapter Chair for BHA, said, “Few of California’s public lands and waters are as valued by hunters and anglers as the Sáttítla region, and Sáttítla is exceptionally qualified to be a national monument. It has unusual geologic and hydrologic features, high cultural value for the Pit River Tribe and other Indigenous peoples, and its waters and upland habitats provide unique and popular sporting opportunities. National monument designations have helped conserve important habitats and sporting opportunities on other public lands across the West. We salute President Biden for his leadership and thank Senator Padilla for his support in honoring the Pit River Tribe’s long commitment to defending their homeland — and the famous fishing and hunting still found in this area — by creating Sáttítla Highlands National Monument.”
The Sáttítla region is managed by the USDA Forest Service as part of the Shasta, Lassen, and Modoc National Forests. The Pit River Tribe has fought for three decades to prevent development of proposed energy and water bottling projects here.
Andrew Harris, owner of Confluence Outfitters based in Red Bluff, California, said, “The sole source of the Fall River and its world-famous trout fishery is the waters absorbed and filtered by the Sáttítla landscape. This river is California’s largest spring creek and its abundant waters feed the Pit River, Lake Shasta and the Sacramento River. Our guide service depends on these waters – each a unique fishery — to provide great local fly-fishing experiences for over a thousand anglers every year. On behalf of our working guides and clients, and the many other people who come to this area for its exceptional fishing opportunities, we applaud President Biden’s action to permanently protect this extraordinary area of public lands as a national monument.”
Given the importance of the Sáttítla region for fishing and hunting, TU, BHA, local fishing businesses, and other local and statewide fishing groups have declared their strong support for the creation of Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in numerous ways over the past 18 months, including a web page, a media tour, numerous blog posts and letters to Congress and the Biden administration, and testimony at public meetings.
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Trout Unlimited (TU), founded in 1959, is dedicated to bringing together diverse interests
to care for and recover rivers and streams so our children can experience the joy of wild and native trout and salmon. TU’s 300,000+ members and supporters work through more than 400 chapters and state councils to protect and restore coldwater habitats and salmonid populations.
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) seeks to ensure North America’s outdoor heritage
of hunting and fishing in a natural setting, through education and work on behalf of wild public lands, waters, and wildlife. BHA is a nonpartisan group of sportsmen and -women
who stand up for wild lands and waters and for the outdoor opportunities they represent.