Native Fish Policy of Montana Trout Unlimited
By Bruce Farling
Montana’s Native Fish
Montana’s waters hold 93 species of fish,
including 56 that are native, two that might be native
and 35 that have been introduced by humans. Native
fish are those fish species that are indigenous to
the state’s waters. These include species that
are managed as sport fish or labeled “non-game” fish
by state fishery managers. Wild fish are populations
of both native and introduced species that reproduce
in the wild.
For the purposes of this policy, populations of
a species that is native to Montana but which exists
in an area where it historically did not occur will
be considered introduced. The only exception will
be in those cases where a scientifically defensible
native fish restoration project requires the introduction
of a fish into historically barren water that is
within the species’ range (such as above a
barrier falls in a drainage where the species is
native).
Montana Trout Unlimited is most concerned with the
conservation of native species in the trout family
(salmonidae), including the trouts, char, grayling
and whitefish. Species in the salmonid family native
to Montana are:
· Westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus
clarki lewisi) – a trout native to the upper
Columbia basin and to the upper Missouri basin above
the Musselshell drainage.
· Yellowstone cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus
clarki bouvieri) – a trout native to the Yellowstone
basin, including and above the Tongue River drainage.
· Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) – a
char native to the upper Columbia basin and Oldman
River drainage (St. Mary, Belly and Waterton Rivers).
· Interior redband trout (Oncorhynchus clarki
gairdineri) – a trout native to the Kootenai
River drainage.
· Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) – a
char native to the Old Man River drainage, Waterton
Lakes, Twin Lake (Big Hole River drainage) and Elk
Lake (Red Rock River drainage).
· Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus) – native
to the upper Missouri basin including and above the
Sun River.
· Mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) – Native
to coldwater habitats on both sides of the Continental
Divide in the western half of Montana
· Pygmy whitefish (Prosopium clupeaformis) – Native
to lakes in Northwest Montana.
The cutthroats, grayling, bull trout and interior
redband trout occupy just a small fraction of their
historical range.
Native fish populations have been harmed by habitat
loss, habitat fragmentation, harvest, pollution,
dewatering, and disease and by threats such as genetic
introgression, predation and competition posed by
introduced and non-native fish.
Montana Trout Unlimited’s Native Fish Policy
1. The conservation of Montana’s native fish
is a priority of Montana Trout Unlimited and its
13 chapters. Montana Trout Unlimited believes native
fish of all species are important components of the
state’s aquatic communities. Native fish have
important cultural, recreational, scientific, economic
and bequest values.
2. Montana Trout Unlimited endeavors to ensure Montana’s
native fishes, especially those species in the trout
family (Salmonidae), persist over time in both numbers
and geographic scope so that they can be enjoyed
by future generations for sporting, scientific, cultural,
economic and esthetic purposes.
3. Montana Trout Unlimited’s native fish policy
complies with Trout Unlimited national’s Wild
Salmonid Policy (Trout Unlimited, as amended, 1998)
4. Montana Trout Unlimited supports federal, state
and private efforts that conserve and restore Montana’s
native fish.
5. Montana Trout Unlimited makes it a priority to
support and promote native fish conservation that
preserves genetic and life history diversity.
6. Montana Trout Unlimited believes all native salmonid
populations that currently exist within their historical
range should be conserved. Further, Montana Trout
Unlimited believes that the number of viable populations
of native cutthroats, grayling, bull trout and interior
redband trout in Montana should be increased within
their historical ranges.
7. Montana Trout Unlimited believes species viability
is only a short-term goal for native fish restoration,
and that Montana should eventually re-establish populations
that can sustain sport fishing and limited harvest.
8. Montana Trout Unlimited supports restoration
of native fish populations within their historical
ranges when it is done in a fashion that balances
the statewide need to protect the Montana’s
highest quality non-native wild trout fisheries.
9. Montana Trout Unlimited supports native fish
conservation projects only if the aim is to protect,
increase or create self-sustaining wild populations.
Montana Trout Unlimited does not consider put and
take programs for native fish as restoration.
10. Montana Trout Unlimited will not support land-uses
or fishery management that jeopardizes populations
of rare “non-game” native fish.
11. Montana Trout Unlimited will not support fishery
management that jeopardizes important populations
of the state’s native cool-and warm-water game
species.
12. Montana Trout Unlimited believes conservation
of the state’s native amphibians, mollusks
and other invertebrates and vertebrates is important,
and as such will examine all proposals for native
fish restoration to ensure they have minimal impacts
on other native fauna.
13. Montana Trout Unlimited opposes the stocking
of any species, native or non-native, in waters where
they could pose significant harm to indigenous fish
or amphibian species
14. Montana Trout Unlimited supports scientifically
defensible projects that require removal of non-native
species from state waters. To this end, Montana Trout
Unlimited supports the use of angling, electrofishing
and trapping as well as the judicious application
of piscicides that remove non-native fish and set
the stage for reintroduction of native species.
15. Before supporting the use of piscicides, Montana
Trout Unlimited will examine individual projects
for scientific soundness and make a determination
as to whether the use of chemicals is the only reasonable
alternative.
16. Montana Trout Unlimited supports using locally
adapted native fish or eggs from local populations
as the most desirable sources for reintroduction
efforts. When fish or eggs from local populations
are not available, Montana TU supports the “near
neighbor” concept as the next available source.
When local or “near neighbor” genetic
material is not available for native fish restoration,
Montana TU will decide whether to support reintroduction
projects on a case by case basis.
17. Montana Trout Unlimited will ensure that the
native fish restoration projects it supports, especially
those using piscicides, comply with all applicable
federal and state statutes including but not limited
to the Montana and federal environmental policy acts,
state and federal water quality statutes, the Endangered
Species Act and the Wilderness Act.
