Yellowstone NP seeks fisheries input
March 20, 2005
Yellowstone National Park will hold five public meetings in April to seek public input about fisheries issues in the park. Topics to be discussed include the status of native cutthroat trout species and proposed changes in existing fishing regulations scheduled for implementation in 2006.
Regulation changes are needed to protect native fishes, particularly cutthroat trout populations, that have recently declined as a result of hybridization and predation pressure from introduced, non-native fish. In addition, comments are requested from interested individuals and organizations on a potential barbless hook requirement to reduce the incidence of fish injury and jaw deformity. No changes in the opening times or closure periods of specific park areas or waters are proposed.
One of the five meetings will be held on Wednesday, April 6th, at the Teton County Library in Jackson from 6-8 pm.
"The park is proposing to reduce competition, predation, and hybridization stress on native cutthroat trout and arctic grayling by increasing harvest limits for non-native trout species," said Chief Fisheries Biologist, Dr. Todd Koel. However, the park continues to be committed to maintaining world-class angling opportunities for wild trout.
"The proposed regulations would continue to protect and enhance nonnative trout populations of the Madison, Firehole, and lower Gibbon Rivers, and Lewis and Shoshone Lakes," Dr. Koel stated. Five public meetings will be held from April 4-18. These meetings will begin with an update on the status of the park’s fish populations and an explanation of the proposed changes in the fishing regulations, followed with a question and answer session with the public.
The public meetings will be held as follows:
Monday, April 4: Bozeman, Montana, Best Western GranTree Inn, 325 N 7th St, 6-8 pm.
Tuesday, April 5: West Yellowstone, Montana, Holiday Inn Conference Hotel, 315 Yellowstone Avenue, 5:30-7:30 pm
Wednesday, April 6: Jackson, WY, Teton Co Library, 125 Virginia Lane, 6-8 pm
Thursday, April 7: Cody, WY, 5:30-7:30 pm (location uncertain*)
Monday, April 18: Livingston, Montana, 6-8 pm (location uncertain*)
(*Editor’s note: Both the Cody, Wyoming and Livingston, Montana sessions are listed as taking place at the Best Western Holiday Inn at 1515 West Park Street. Check with the Park for accurate location information.)
Additional information on the park’s fisheries program is available on-line at http://www.nps.gov/yell/planvisit/todo/fishing/index.htm or may be obtained by writing to:
Superintendent – Fishing Regulations
Yellowstone National Park
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190
Written comments will be accepted through August 31, 2005, and may be submitted on-line by visiting http://parkplanning.nps.gov, the web site for the National Park Service’s Planning, Environment and Public Comment database (PEPC), or mailed to the above address.
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