Yellowstone seeks comments on protecting native fish

Lake trout, an invasive species in Yellowstone, have destroyed the native cutthroat population in Yellowstone Lake and Yellowstone River. This species was introduced to the lake in the 1930's by Yellowstone Park staff, according to stocking records.It takes 50 to 60 years for the lake trout's destructiveness to become apparent in a lake the size of Yellowstone Lake. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE photo

Attend a meeeting in April

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK —Invasive species, disease, and climate changes have all led to a decline in the native fish population of Yellowstone National Park, fishery researchers say. So, the park has developed the Native Fish Conservation Plan to help halt and eventually reverse that trend.

The first step is to ask the public to help identify issues that the park staff should consider when writing the plan and Environmental Assessment. This process, known as public scoping, is now open and runs through April 30 this year.

If you are concerned about Yellowstone's declining fishery,  attend a public scoping open house this April:

• Bozeman: April 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Comfort Inn, 1370 North 7th Avenue.
• Cody: April 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, 1701 Sheridan Avenue.
• Jackson: April 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Snow King Resort, 400 E. Snow King Avenue
• West Yellowstone: April 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, 315 Yellowstone Avenue

The Native Fish Conservation Plan will evaluate ways to conserve native fish populations throughout the park. It could include actions such as large-scale removal of lake trout, removal of non-native fish from some streams and lakes, and introducing genetically-unaltered native fish into restored habitats. The plan will not propose any changes in the Madison or Firehole rivers.

"Urgency exists," says Yellowstone Park Superintendent Suzanne Lewis, " because Yellowstone cutthroat trout of the Yellowstone Lake ecosystem are vanishing due to predation by introduced lake trout, whirling disease, and effects of long-term drought, and Yellowstone cutthroat trout, westslope cutthroat trout, and Arctic grayling in streams and lakes throughout the park are being lost due to predation, competition and/or interbreeding (hybridization) with introduced nonnative fish species."

The Plan/EA will analyze potential impacts to a number of resources including: Geology, soils, and vegetation; Wildlife and species of special concern; Non-target species (amphibians, aquatic insects); Water resources, floodplains, and wetlands; Cultural and ethnographic resources; Air quality, lightscapes, soundscapes; Global climate change; Socioeconomics; Visitor use and experience; Park operations; and Human health and safety.

A scoping brochure is available at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/yell.
Additional information on the park’s fisheries program can be found online nps.gov/yell/planvisit/todo/fishing/.

Park staff members will analyze the scoping comments and spend the summer writing the Environmental Assessment, which should be released for public review and comment this fall. A final decision and plan is expected sometime in the winter of 2010-2011.

Comments may be submitted online at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/yell.

They may also be mailed to: Native Fish Conservation Plan, Yellowstone National Park, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190.

Comments may also be hand-delivered to Yellowstone National Park headquarters in Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming. Written comments can also be submitted during the open houses. Comments will not be accepted by fax, e-mail, or in any other way than those specified above. Public scoping comments will be accepted until midnight, April 30.
 

This is part of the online edition of Henry's Fork Country.

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