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National Park Service. Balancing Bonneville Cutthroat Trout with Non-native Salmonids in Great Basin National Park Gretchen M. Baker, Neal W. Darby, Tod B. Williams. Great Basin National Park. 10 perennial streams 6 streams in Bonneville cutthroat trout (BCT) habitat. BCT Background.
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National Park Service Balancing Bonneville Cutthroat Trout with Non-native Salmonids in Great Basin National Park Gretchen M. Baker, Neal W. Darby, Tod B. Williams
Great Basin National Park • 10 perennial streams • 6 streams in Bonneville cutthroat trout (BCT) habitat
BCT Background • Lake Bonneville • Highest extent • Desiccation • BCT Declines • Non-native fish • Logging • Grazing Great Basin National Park
Two-pronged approach • Balancing management • BCT Restoration • Recreational Fishing • 1999 Park Fisheries Management Plan • Objectives
Planning • 2000 BCT Rangewide Conservation Agreement • Signed by states of Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada • US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service • US Forest Service • Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission • Support from Trout Unlimited and others
Methods-BCT Reintroduction BCT Reintroduction Steps • Baseline surveys • Pre-treatment surveys • Treatment • Post-treatment effectiveness monitoring • BCT reintroduction • Post-reintroduction effectiveness monitoring
Fishing Streams BCT Stream Other Fish • Strawberry— BCT 2002 • Mill Creek—remnant BCT population found • South Fork Baker—BCT 2005 • Upper Snake Creek—BCT 2004 • South Fork Big Wash—BCT 2000 • Big Wash—BCT 2003 • Pine & Ridge Creeks—pure BCT
Methods-Recreational Fishing • Monitoring • Volunteer recruitment • Inclusion in park planning
Results-BCT • BCT in 17 miles of streams • Good recruitment • Increase in size
Results-BCT • Strawberry Creek- 55% increase in BCT from 2003 to 2004 • Macroinvertebrate recovery
Results-Recreational Fishing • Perception of no fish due to lack of stocking
Baker Population Surveys • Population increasing • Brown trout decreasing in size • Brook and rainbow trout increasing slightly
Lehman Population Surveys • Population increasing • Size of fish fluctuating Caught 9/2/04 340 mm (13 in)
Comparing BCT to non-natives • BCT density greater than other species
Results-Publicity • Brochure • Interviews • Articles
Other results • Volunteers • Thinning • Park planning • Fire rehab
Discussion • Successful park project • Politics • Adaptive Management • Timetable
The Future • Monitor non-native populations • Monitor/manage BCT populations • 5-10 years, BCT sustainable fishery within park
Acknowledgements National Park Service Nevada Department of Wildlife US Forest Service BLM Trout Unlimited
Macroinvertebrate Recovery • Decline of macroinvertebrate abundance one month following the antimycin treatment on Snake Creek and the rotenone treatment on Strawberry Creek.
Macroinvertebrate Recovery • Decline of macroinvertebrate taxa one month following the antimycin treatment on Snake Creek and the rotenone treatment on Strawberry Creek.