Reward raised for 'bucket biologists'

The Flathead Valley chapter of Trout Unlimited has boosted its bounty for so-called "bucket biologists."

The chapter is adding $1,500 to its standing $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone who illegally moves live fish in the Region One jurisdiction of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

The chapter also has agreed to provide an additional $10,000 in cases involving illegal introductions into any of Montana's wild or native trout fisheries. The rewards are being offered in cooperation with the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks TIPMONT program.

Dan Short, the chapter's president, said the reward would be unprecedented in cases involving wild or native trout fisheries.

"In that case, we would expect the total award to run well over $5,000, probably closer to $10,000," he said. "But conviction for any illegal introduction in Region One, even it if does not affect native or wild trout, could result in an award of around $2,500."

The chapter's membership hopes the program will help discourage further illegal fish introductions in Northwest Montana, where state officials have chronicled dozens of instances of fish moved from one body of water to another. Illegal introductions can cause biological havoc, sometimes leading to the loss of popular fisheries.

One of the most serious recent cases, chapter conservation chairman John Winnie said, is the discovery of a reproducing lake trout population in Swan Lake. That presents a threat to the lake's native bull trout population.

"This Swan Lake bull trout population is one of the jewels of the North American Continent, and we are in danger of losing it because some yahoo bucketed some lake trout into the system," Winnie said. "In the past, there has been a lot of hand-wringing, head-shaking and tough talk about this problem, but not much action. Trout Unlimited is putting its money where its mouth is."

For additional information or questions aout the award program, call Short at 755-6838 or Winnie at 755-1406. To report illegal fish relocations, contact Fish Wildlife and Parks wardens at 752-5501 or 1-800-TIPMONT.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com