The Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project could not function as it does without the ample and capable volunteer corps that has developed over the years. We are always looking for new volunteers to help with a variety of tasks throughout the year. Volunteering with MBSTP is fun and rewarding!
Typically, A wide range of opportunities are available (see below), but currently, our volunteer opportunities are limited while permits are being modernized and facilities operations are updated. Meanwhile, for 2017 the following opportunities may be available: Weekend Duty, Smolt Planting, Membership Party/election coordination (early June), and Albacore Dinner Auction Fundraiser Early November).
Please contact Seth Bowman our fish culturist and volunteer coordinator to get on the list! Send him an e-mail with your contact information and area of interest (selected from the list below).
Contact Seth Bowman directly
MBSTP helps advertise non-MBSTP volunteer opportunities too. For a link to these click here
December: Fin Clip & BBQ – Each year, on the first Saturday in December the steelhead fry are marked to identify them as hatchery-produced fish. Typically about 50 volunteers come to the hatchery to help process the steelhead and then enjoy a delicious BBQ lunch served afterward. Some changes in the way we need to operate our facility may affect this event in the future. We may need to run two smaller events with one occurring earlier in the autumn. Get on the list for the fin-clip and we will contact you for any special events.
December through March: Steelhead Trapping – This volunteer activity is reserved for our more experienced fish handlers. Each year some brood-fish are selected from the San Lorenzo River steelhead run for our captive spawning and rearing program. Let us know if you are interested.
April and May: Fry/Smolt Planting – We have multiple opportunities for volunteers to assist with fish planting. This is an inspiring and beautiful springtime activity!
April through July: Fry Care & Feeding – When the fry are very small and rearing in troughs inside the hatchery building they need lots of care! You will be trained how and assigned to a regular time slot according to your availability and our scheduling need.
April/May: Chinook Net-Pen Operation – Join the crew and head out to Feather River or Mokelumne State hatchery to tag and vaccinate our allotment of chinook pre-smolts and/or join the crew to transport, assemble, and tend the net-pen in Santa Cruz Harbor.
Late May or Early June: Membership Party, Meeting & Election – This event is fun and easy to produce, but a little help is appreciated!
July through September: Special Projects / Hatchery Maintenance – This type of activity happens year-round, but during late summer and early autumn fish care is typically fairly easy so we use the time to take care of any facility maintenance, repair, or upgrade. We can especially use people with carpentry, plumbing, electrical, painting or other building trade type skills, but if you are comfortable operating a rake or shovel you also qualify.
September through mid-November: Albacore Dinner & Auction Fundraiser – Having volunteer help makes this major event more fun and easier for all.
Year-round: Weekend Duty – On weekends our trusted volunteers feed the fish and keep an eye on the proper functioning of the facility. The work is relaxing and fun in a beautiful quiet serene setting.
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