Phil Hartman Books

This booklet is an excellent resource for educators (elementary through college, families, and resource management/research groups) with need for a practical and easy to use guide to identify juvenile salmonids in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. The 32 page soft covered booklet is easily slipped into a daypack or coat pocket. The guide is printed on water resistant paper that will not fall apart even if it accompanies the user on an unexpected icy cold plunge into the stream. Mud and slime wipe clean from the pages with a moist cloth.

The content of the book is excellent. Included are color illustrations and photographs of all the species described, including Atlantic salmon which are more and more often finding their way into Pacific Northwest streams. Also included are pen and ink drawings that help the user identify key diagnostic feature. Having the three views of each species is very helpful in arriving at a correct identification.

In addition to information pertinent to any basic taxonomic key, the guide includes helpful clues about habitat usage, behavior and life history that direct users to the best locations for finding each species. This booklet accompanies all my crews when they take to the streams for salmon management and research activities.

The plastic bag viewing chamber is a great addition for the identification of juvenile salmonids. The illustrations are very understandable and the photography is very good, with standardized backgrounds a real plus. This manual will be very useful for our salmon and steelhead restoration project for making sure those involved will have a resource for checking the identification of salmonids that is of the highest quality.