salmon population, has been a focus of provincial, federal, and international bodies, such as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the Pacific Salmon Commission. Angling From the 1950s through the early 1990s the Thompson River was considered one of the premier steelhead angling destinations in North America. The river hosted large runs of both summer and winter run anadromous coastal rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus). In the late 1980s the runs were estimated at over 10,000 fish. The river attracted anglers from around the world seeking powerful Thompson River steelhead. In 1982, the average male winter run Thompson River steelhead was . By the late 1990s, steelhead populations began to decline due to a wide variety of adverse environmental conditions and overfishing by commercial and First Nations gill netters. In 2016, annual steelhead numbers entering the Thompson were estimated to be less than 400 fish. Low numbers have prompted conservation organizations and sportsman's associations to petition Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), for Canada's Species At Risk Act (SARA) protections. The river is subject to catch and release angling only for steelhead and has severely restricted seasons to protect the wild stocks of remaining steelhead. Whitewater rafting The rapids of the lower Thompson are used for recreational whitewater rafting. The first commercial rafting operation on the river began in the 1970s, based out of Spences Bridge. Notable whitewater features on the lower river include the Frog, named for a frog-shaped rock formation, and the Jaws of Death, named by CPR engineers. Rapids on the river reach up to Class 5 on the International Scale of River Difficulty. Major Tributaries North Thompson River Albreda River Thunder River Mud Creek Blue River Mad River Raft River Clearwater River Barrière River South Thompson River Little River (via Little Shuswap Lake from Shuswap Lake) Chase Creek Monte Creek Mainstream Tranquille River (via Kamloops Lake) Deadman River Bonaparte River Oregon Jack Creek Nicola River Murray Creek Skoonka Creek Nicoamen River Botanie Creek See also List of tributaries of the Fraser River List of British Columbia rivers List of crossings of the Thompson River Notes References External links Tributaries of the Fraser River Canyons and gorges of British Columbia Thompson Country Kamloops Division Yale Land District