For #NativeAmericanHeritagemonth, we’re highlighting some of our Indigenous partners who fiercely defend their rights and protect wild lands and imperiled wildlife. Found only in Northern California's Clear Lake and its tributaries, the Clear Lake hitch isn't your average-sized #minnow: It weighs in at almost a pound. Hitch, or chi, were once so plentiful that they were a staple food and cultural mainstay for the Pomo tribes of the Clear Lake region. Historically numbering in the millions, #ClearLakehitch now face a tough fight to avoid extinction. The fish have not had a successful spawning season for six years. And because hitch typically only live six years, this year is critical. This year, after years of work in collaboration of the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians, the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife took important steps alongside tribes to protect the Clear Lake hitch — including committing $2 million to remove instream barriers to their spawning. Read more at the link...