Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Park (FWP) gencies are seeking comment on a proposed project to remove hybrid trout from about 21 mountain lakes in the South Fork Flathead drainage in northwest Montana. The lakes would be restocked with pure westslope cutthroat trout. Removing hybrid, nonnative trout removes the threat of hybridization and allows the pure westslope cutthroat trout populations to grow.

The project is a cooperative effort among FWP, Bonneville Power Administration, and the U.S. Forest Service. These agencies are requesting comments and suggestions in defining the issues to be covered in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement that is being developed. Interested persons can request more information and submit comments on the proposal through June 23. Information is available on the Bonneville Power Administration website located HERE.

Westslope Cutthroat

The 21 lakes that contain hybrid trout and are proposed for treatment include 11 in the Bob Marshall Wilderness (Sunburst, Woodward, the Necklace lakes (which are considered 4 lakes), Lena, Lick, Koessler, George, and Pyramid), 8 in the Jewel Basin Hiking Area (Wildcat, Clayton, Blackfoot, Black, Upper Three Eagles, Lower Three Eagles, Pilgrim, and Bighawk), and 2 in the Flathead National Forest (Handkerchief and Margaret).

The proposal is to remove hybrid trout using fish toxin. Bonneville Power Administration funds would be used to implement this project. Additionally, these activities would occur on lands administered by the U.S. Forest Service. The hybrid trout threaten continued and expanded hybridization with genetically pure westslope cutthroat trout in the South Fork Flathead River drainage. The South Fork currently has the largest genetically pure population in the world.

Because the lakes are located in remote mountainous terrain, a combination of aircraft and livestock is being proposed to transport materials, equipment, and personnel to each site. Livestock would be used to access all wilderness lakes that have trails to them. Only two wilderness lakes have no access trails so a helicopter is proposed for transporting materials to these sites. A helicopter and airplane are proposed to transport materials to the lakes outside the wilderness. Motorized rafts are proposed for applying the fish toxin. These lakes would be treated at the rate of 2 or 3 per year over about a 10-year period.