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| Pure Strain Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout from the Pryor Mountains of South Central Montana |
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| Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Clark Schreibeis of Billings, Montana |
Within the sphere of the core group of champions there were several trout conservation projects that they were aware of and felt were worthy of consideration for helping. After several months of research and deliberation they settled on an exiting project in Montana. Due to a 5000-acre fire in the Pryor Mountains of Montana and subsequent, catastrophic 2-½ inch rainfall, an entire section of a mountain drainage called Crooked Creek was literally scoured out.
This fire and rainstorm in the summer of 2002, diverted water around a cliff-like natural rock barrier that for centuries had protected the fish above it and left this uppermost, remnant population of genetically unaltered Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout exposed to the real threat of being lost forever. The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management have collaborated on a plan to protect these imperiled trout by installing a concrete fish barrier to replace the natural one. The Forest Service biologist`s population estimate for these threatened Cutthroats is from 400-500 fish.
This fire and rainstorm in the summer of 2002, diverted water around a cliff-like natural rock barrier that for centuries had protected the fish above it and left this uppermost, remnant population of genetically unaltered Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout exposed to the real threat of being lost forever. The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management have collaborated on a plan to protect these imperiled trout by installing a concrete fish barrier to replace the natural one. The Forest Service biologist`s population estimate for these threatened Cutthroats is from 400-500 fish.
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| Future Barrier Site |
The barrier is crucial to the survival of these imperiled fish because possible infiltration by other species of trout which inhabit the lower stretches of the creek below. Brown Trout often out-compete and prey on Cutthroats for available habitat and Rainbow Trout can interbreed with Cutthroats, which dilutes the gene pool and thereby destroys the purity of the fish.
Without protection from these non-native species, this population of native, pure Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout is expected to diminish rapidly and ultimately be replaced by the nonnative aggressors.
The local chapter of Trout Unlimited and Magic City Fly Fishers of Billings, MT, teamed up with the various government agencies and in August of 2006 to build a temporary fish barrier or gabion. Using stones and wire mesh, this was successfully accomplished in a location several miles further downstream from the original natural rock barrier.
This downstream location was chosen to give the Cutthroats additional area and habitat to live and thrive. In October of 2007, the final and permanent concrete fish barrier was successfully built to replace the temporary one. Additional work still needs to be accomplished to restore riparian habitat altered during construction of the migration barrier and plans are being made for some re-vegetation projects near the project site
Without protection from these non-native species, this population of native, pure Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout is expected to diminish rapidly and ultimately be replaced by the nonnative aggressors.
The local chapter of Trout Unlimited and Magic City Fly Fishers of Billings, MT, teamed up with the various government agencies and in August of 2006 to build a temporary fish barrier or gabion. Using stones and wire mesh, this was successfully accomplished in a location several miles further downstream from the original natural rock barrier.
This downstream location was chosen to give the Cutthroats additional area and habitat to live and thrive. In October of 2007, the final and permanent concrete fish barrier was successfully built to replace the temporary one. Additional work still needs to be accomplished to restore riparian habitat altered during construction of the migration barrier and plans are being made for some re-vegetation projects near the project site
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| Temporary fish barrier (gabion) now in place |
As is not unusual for this type of project, the funding has come up short and the Bureau of Land Management has welcomed any help and financial contributions from outside organizations and groups. 100% of the funds generated by the future sale of the Champion`s Trout Collection will be available after the Sept. 2008 ebay auction closing.
This group of six World Champion carvers are pleased they can use their gifts and talents to lend assistance to this exiting and worthy project. For the latest information available here is a link to the Lovell Chronicle from Lovell, WY
This group of six World Champion carvers are pleased they can use their gifts and talents to lend assistance to this exiting and worthy project. For the latest information available here is a link to the Lovell Chronicle from Lovell, WY