Ventura, CA (January 12, 2010) Patagonia, Inc, the outdoor gear and technical apparel company announced today their World Trout initiative has issued eight grants totaling $75,000 to global grassroots groups whose diverse efforts to protect and enhance fish and their habitat around the world exemplify the philosophy of World Trout.

Grant recipients include the Wild Salmon Center at $10,00 for their Koppi River Salmon Diversity project; Pacific Rivers Council at $8,000 for their Umpqua River Legacy Program; Truckee River Watershed Council, who’s efforts on Lahontan Cutthroat Trout Restoration received $15,000; Takshanuk Watershed council was allocated $10,000 for completion of their water rights reservations initiatives; Bahamian-based Friends of the Environment was the recipient of $8,000 for their sustainable crawfish campaign, Henry’s Fork Foundation’s film, Watershed, which is about impressive hands-on projects completed over the past 25 years, was allotted $3,000 to help distribute this informative film to anglers and other grassroots groups in the hopes these efforts can be replicated; Bonefish and Tarpon Trust’s research on critical tarpon habitat received $15,000 and Italian group Societa Valsesiana Pescatori Sportivi was sent $8,000 for enhancement of their threatened grayling habitat.

World Trout was founded by Patagonia owner Yvon Chouinard and author/artist James Prosek, who believed that immediate, hands-on action through local grassroots groups can begin to address multiple threats facing our fish and their habitat. Educating the public about these groups’ efforts and raising money to support their vitally important activities was the goal. As a result, original artwork by such renowned artists as James Prosek, Tim Borski and Alan James Robinson, has been used to create unique t-shirts, with $5 from the sales of each shirt set aside to fund these groups. Since 2005, World Trout has successfully generated over $400,000 that has been allocated to 30 local grassroots groups.

To learn more about Patagonia's environmental grants program, please go to www.patagonia.com/worldtrout -- Jay Cassell