Monday October 28, 2024
KPAX —
Fishing is an important cultural aspect for many who live in Montana and a big part of keeping this sport alive is the conservation of the different species.
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP) reached out to MTN to spread the word about a declining population of a native fish. MTN took a deep dive into what’s going on with the bull trout In a tributary of the Flathead River system.
“So we’ve been monitoring bull trout abundance here in the Flathead since the early 1990s and we monitor all three forks of the Flathead River system. And this year and last year, what we’ve seen an all-time record low abundances of these bull trout nests in the South Fork of the Flathead,“ said FWP Fisheries Management Biologist Leo Rosenthal.
Bull trout are a native species on the endangered species list, and the South Fork of the Flathead is the only river in Montana where anglers can target them. But fishing regulations for this iconic fish may change as the population is seemingly decreasing.