Biologists plan collaboration to conserve westslope cutthroat
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News from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
MONTANA - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks region one fisheries staff plan further collaboration with Glacier National Park to conserve native westslope cutthroat trout in the Flathead subbasin.
In late March, the National Park Service released an environmental assessment with a proposal to use rotenone, a fish toxicant, to remove threats posed by non-native Yellowstone cutthroat from Lake Evangeline, Camas Lake and Camas Creek upstream of Arrow Lake in the upper Camas drainage.
Following the removal of the Yellowstone cutthroat trout, native westslope cutthroat trout from local donor populations would be stocked into the lakes to establish a native fish assemblage that is secure against the threats of non-native fish and climate-related habitat degradation.
Westslope cutthroat trout are a species of conservation concern in Montana and currently occupy less than 10 percent of their historic range. Pending completion of environmental compliance requirements, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will work with Bonneville Power Administration to secure cost-share funding in support of the project through the Hungry Horse Fisheries Mitigation Program.
Additional project details may be found on the National Park Service Planning, Environment & Public Comment website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/UpperCamas. For more information on FWP’s proposed participation in the project, contact the region one headquarters in Kalispell at 406-752-5501.
