National Park Service Balancing Bonneville Cutthroat Trout with Non-native Salmonids in Great Basin National Park Gretchen M. Baker, Neal W. Darby, Tod B. Williams

Great Basin National Park 10 perennial streams 6 streams in Bonneville cutthroat trout (BCT) habitat

BCT Background Lake Bonneville BCT Declines Highest extent Desiccation Non-native fish Logging Grazing Great Basin National Park

1999 Park Fisheries Management Plan Two-pronged approach Balancing management BCT Restoration Recreational Fishing 1999 Park Fisheries Management Plan Objectives

2000 BCT Rangewide Conservation Agreement Planning 2000 BCT Rangewide Conservation Agreement Signed by states of Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service US Forest Service Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission Support from Trout Unlimited and others

Methods-BCT Reintroduction BCT Reintroduction Steps Baseline surveys Pre-treatment surveys Treatment Post-treatment effectiveness monitoring BCT reintroduction Post-reintroduction effectiveness monitoring

Fishing Streams Strawberry— BCT 2002 BCT Stream Other Fish Strawberry— BCT 2002 Mill Creek—remnant BCT population found South Fork Baker—BCT 2005 Upper Snake Creek—BCT 2004 South Fork Big Wash—BCT 2000 Big Wash—BCT 2003 Pine & Ridge Creeks—pure BCT

Methods-Recreational Fishing Monitoring Volunteer recruitment Inclusion in park planning

Results-BCT BCT in 17 miles of streams Good recruitment Increase in size

South Fork Big Wash--2000

South Fork Big Wash--2002

South Fork Big Wash--2004

Results-BCT Strawberry Creek- 55% increase in BCT from 2003 to 2004 Macroinvertebrate recovery

Results-Recreational Fishing Perception of no fish due to lack of stocking

Baker Population Surveys Population increasing Brown trout decreasing in size Brook and rainbow trout increasing slightly Year Fish/mile Method 2003 2527 3 pass, 100 m 1990 750* 1 pass, 500 ft *1088/mile including recorded misses

Lehman Population Surveys Population increasing Size of fish fluctuating Caught 9/2/04 340 mm (13 in) Year Fish/mile Method 2004 2157 3 pass, 100 m 2003 2528 1990 449* 1 pass, 600 ft 1984** 1109^ 1 pass, 100 ft 1952 163 not specified *774 fish/mile including recorded misses ** Pop survey done 17 days after a plant of 749 fish; 41% of fish caught were planted based on fin wear characteristics; ^1373 fish/mile including recorded misses

Comparing BCT to non-natives BCT density greater than other species

Results-Publicity Brochure Interviews Articles

Other results Volunteers Thinning Park planning Fire rehab

Discussion Successful park project Politics Adaptive Management Timetable

The Future Monitor non-native populations Monitor/manage BCT populations 5-10 years, BCT sustainable fishery within park

Acknowledgements National Park Service Nevada Department of Wildlife US Forest Service BLM Trout Unlimited

Macroinvertebrate Recovery Decline of macroinvertebrate abundance one month following the antimycin treatment on Snake Creek and the rotenone treatment on Strawberry Creek.

Macroinvertebrate Recovery Decline of macroinvertebrate taxa one month following the antimycin treatment on Snake Creek and the rotenone treatment on Strawberry Creek.