Tribes want to add netting to reduce lake trout

[Skunk]

Tribes want to add netting to reduce lake trout

by Associated Press, found at the Billings Gazette

Posted: Saturday, December 19, 2009

KALISPELL — The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes want to add aggressive netting to an effort to reduce the number of nonnative lake trout in Flathead Lake.

The state and tribal co-management plan for the lake expires at the end of next year, said Clayton Matt, head of the tribal natural resources department.

He said the tribe's fisheries program staff prepared a draft memorandum of understanding as a way to start discussions on the next 10-year plan.

Suppressing lake trout is intended to benefit native bull trout.

The tribe said the current management plan did not meet its goals in reducing the number of lake trout by 60,000 per year by 2008.

"This target was not met, providing evidence that agency action in addition to fishing contests would likely be necessary to achieve the goal of the plan," the draft memorandum states.

The current plan sought to meet the goals through increasing fishing limits, but anglers catch an estimated 50,000 trout each year.

The tribe proposes a pilot project calling for the harvest of 60,000 fish by expanding the Mack Days fishing tournament and setting 200 gill nets on the lake. The proposed target for 2011 is 80,000 fish and the target for 2012 is 100,000 fish by setting an estimated 1,000 300-foot-long gill nets.

Gill netting would be controversial among lake trout anglers and business interests around the lake.

"We did not participate in the development of those documents," said Jim Satterfield, regional supervisor for the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

While the tribes' emphasis is on recovering native species such as bull trout, FWP has a dual mission of conservation as well as providing fishing opportunities. Lake trout are the lake's main sport fishery.

Before a netting proposal could be adopted, FWP said it would have to undergo a full environmental impact statement and public review.

"This would be a huge impact on the lake," said Bob Orsua, owner of Mo Fisch fishing charters on Flathead Lake. He added that the impacts of increasing lake trout harvest may not be foreseeable and it's uncertain if it would help bull trout.

Orsua believes the increased angling pressure has already had an impact on the lake trout population.

"I've gone from 13 fish per charter down to 2.3 fish per charter over the last five years," Orsua said. "There are fewer fish to catch."

http://www.billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_4e6c6484-ecc1-11de-8a9a-001cc4c002e0.html

[silverbuzzard]

I lived in Bigfork in 81,82 . Was not easy to catch lake trout and because there were not the numbers then the rainbow and kokanee salmon were plentiful. I caught 8 lb Bulltrout in Swan lake along the highway where it is steep.
The lake trout are going to eat everything in the system if something is not done.
I think the indians should be allowed to take massive amounts of lake trout and lake trout ONLY!
I still come back hunting and fishing but have given up on Swan and Flathead drainage  tho I dearly love the area.
Bonniville power was allowed to screw up Kokanee numbers by regulating the dam for money instead of sharing the resource for fish benifits too.
In 81 we were at Glaciers McDonald creek and 660 eagles ,yes 660 , were counted there one day . It was awe inspiring to stand amongst such a creation. It was COMMON to see eagles everywhere around Bigfork and Swan.
When back there in 98 it had collapsed because of Bonniville power admin. I here in 2001 that it is coming back some after the states residnets got pi$$ed and forced Bonniville to behave.
Montana has severe growing pains that I truly hope are resolved. Now, here come the wolves! I hunted Blackfoot last fall and the game herds have collapsed because of wolves and griz and black bears. very sad indeed.

[Cottonwood]

Silverbuzzard, Black Bears have nothing to do with game herds, but Wolves, Mt Lions and Grizzly Bears do.  At the last meeting over here in Kalispell, the Mt Lion and Wolves eat the same amount of game, but no one is calling the Mt Lion the on the carpet for it.  We have a season for them and tags can be perchased, just like Wolves now.

Actually I am all for netting the rainbow trout instead of poisoning the lake like FWP has done in the past with other lakes.  Let them net them out, and have a great big ol fish fry afterwards.

[silverbuzzard]

you right  big fish fry
The black bears are increasing everywhere and they do eat yearlings
They just spotted a bear in central Illinois and cougar now confirmed[ like we need those idiots to confirm!] in Indiana in 2 places.
you are right, cougar has a season and they are afraid of man in most cases, the wolves and griz however......
Let me know when the fry is, I am out there every year

[silverbuzzard]

went to a interesting meeting in Kalispell in 82. The griz were overlaid on maps with areas they attacked man and made a pain in a$$ of themselves. The farther the over lay went from Glacier the fewer and fewer problems. They KNOW ,until recently, that no one carried in Glacier