Non-native trout continue to threaten Flathead Lake
(The following is an editorial printed in the Missoulian on March 23 by FVTU President Chris Schustrom and MTU Executive Director Bruce Farling.) By Chris Schustrom and Bruce Farling This spring native westslope cutthroat and bull trout will stage for their epic journeys from Flathead Lake to spawning streams...
Montana FWP abandons native fish
The primary culprit in unleashing a hungry hoard of invasive lake trout on native fish populations of the Flathead has decided to step away from the table and give up the fight to save our remnant populations of native fish in favor of protecting an exclusive and declining lake...
Sam’s farewell to bull trout
The Spring 2012 issue of Back Porch View, a self-published Bigfork quarterly, came out this week. On page 24 there is a good article by Sam Stone, owner of Valley Wide Seakayaking Adventures and native Montanan. The article is titled Farewell to an old friend: The end to fishing...
Quartz Creek Barrier
The National Park Service needs your help. They recently released the environmental analysis for modification and improvement of the fish barrier on Quartz Creek in Glacier National Park. In 2005, Quartz Lake was believed to be the largest water body in the park that had not been invaded by...
Stream Access and PPL vs. Montana
Since this has been bouncing around since the PPL Montana LLC v. Montana decision, I thought this might add a bit of clarification. This is a statement by Bruce Farling of Montana TU regarding effects of the Supreme Court Decision. _________________________________________________ “About: Supreme Court decision on PPL v. Montana...
Another big win for corporate interests in Montana
This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court decided to hand over ownership and control of your riverbeds to private, for-profit corporations. After all, “Corporations are people, my friend,” just like you and me. In PPL Montana v. Montana, 10-218 the court decided that there is no longer any such thing...
War On Pike
There was an interesting story in the Spokesman Review this morning about the State of Washington’s declared war on Northern Pike (Esox lucious) in Box Canyon Reservoir and the lower Pend Oreille River. As part of an aggressive campaign to reduce pike numbers, the state of Washington, Department of...
Hatchery vs. Wild the debate continues
As a fisherman and member of Trout Unlimited, I hear a question asked on a regular basis to the effect, “If our trout populations are declining, why don’t we just supplement with hatchery fish?” That a question like that could even be asked given our history with hatchery fish...
Conservation Hawks
A new nonprofit conservation group with local roots is ramping up in Montana and you might want to give them your attention. The motto of the Conservation Hawks is “HUNTERS & ANGLERS DEFENDING OUR FUTURE”. How could you go wrong with a mission like that? Anyone who would say...
Hopeful signs for native fish recovery
Idaho Fish and Game has released their 2011 fishery updates for the Panhandle region of the state and the news provides hope and some guidance for restoration of native fish in the Flathead. The Lake Pend Oreille Recovery Update shows “lots of indications that the recovery effort is heading...