MONTANA
FISH, WILDLIFE AND PARKS
Montana
Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the Custer Gallatin National Forest are initiating
a project to restore native westslope cutthroat trout to 17 miles of upper
North Fork Spanish Creek.
Crews began
by removing non-native fish species in Big Brother and Chiquita lakes north of
Big Sky by treating the waters with rotenone on July 29. Rotenone is a natural
chemical used to remove fish. The two lakes were closed to the public during
the treatment.
As stream
flows subside, FWP will treat North Fork Spanish Creek and tributaries upstream
of the fish barrier recently constructed on the lower end of the creek. Fish
removals are expected to take at least two years to complete prior to
re-establishing native fish.
An
environmental assessment, which included collaborative planning with the U.S.
Forest Service as well as opportunity for public comment, was completed for
this project in 2017.
For more information,
please call FWP’s Region 3 headquarters at (406) 994-4042.
