Changemaker
Anna Halligan
TL;DR
Anna Halligan directs the North Coast Coho Project, the Trout Unlimited program that restores coho and steelhead habitat on California's north coast.
Halligan is an environmental scientist by trade. Trout Unlimited lists her as North Coast Coho Project Director on its staff page.
NOAA Fisheries named Halligan in its feature of March 26, 2026 on the record coho season. In the same story it reports that Trout Unlimited biologists surveyed Neefus Gulch that January and found ten coho redds and two steelhead redds, in a place where salmon had not been able to spawn for more than seventy years.
She was filmed on the banks of the South Fork Noyo River with Sarah Gallagher of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for the short film Trout Unlimited put out in the spring of 2025.
Why OGSP Recommends It
One Good Story Project recommends Anna Halligan because her work addresses the conditions coho salmon need to survive along the California coast. As director of Trout Unlimited’s North Coast Coho Project, she works to restore freshwater habitat, improve water quality and streamflow, reduce stormwater runoff, and manage invasive species.
Halligan also helps the public understand why this work matters. She has discussed the project on The Barbless Podcast and appeared in Celebrating Mendocino Coho Returns, filmed along the South Fork Noyo River. NOAA Fisheries later featured her work while reporting on the region’s record coho return.
Related Resources
Key Takeaways
- NOAA's Office of Habitat Conservation funds Trout Unlimited to remove barriers in the Navarro, Big, Garcia and Noyo watersheds.
- Shares the four minute Trout Unlimited film with Sarah Gallagher of the state wildlife agency.
- Her staff page at tu.org carries the title North Coast Coho Project Director.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Anna Halligan?
Anna Halligan directs the North Coast Coho Project for Trout Unlimited, the restoration program working coastal streams between San Francisco Bay and the Oregon border.
What does Anna Halligan work on?
Her guest page on the Barbless podcast site says she focuses on restoration of freshwater fisheries habitat, enhancing water quality and in-stream flow, addressing stormwater runoff, and managing invasive species up and down the California Coast.
Is there an interview with Anna Halligan?
Yes. Season three, episode 129 of The Barbless Podcast Channel went out on December 19, 2019 and runs one hour and eight minutes. Nick and Chad hosted it.
Where can I see Anna Halligan on film?
In Celebrating Mendocino Coho Returns, four minutes on the Trout Unlimited channel on YouTube, published April 2, 2025.