Fish kill Ok'd for three Glacier Park bodies of water

The National Park Service Intermountain Region has approved Glacier National Park’s proposal to use poison to kill non-native Yellowstone cutthroat trout from three bodies of water in Glacier National Park.

The Park Service said in a release that Glacier officials will use rotenone, a fish toxicant, to remove non-native Yellowstone cutthroat trout from Lake Evangeline, Camas Lake, and Camas Creek upstream of Arrow Lake in the park’s upper Camas drainage. Following the removal of the Yellowstone cutthroat trout, native westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout will be translocated into the lakes.

The project is necessary to protect native westslope cutthroat trout against hybridization with non-native Yellowstone cutthroat trout, and to protect westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout against habitat degradation occurring because of a changing climate.

The NPS Intermountain regional director signed a Finding of No Significant Impact June 10 for the park’s Westslope Cutthroat Trout and Bull Trout Preservation in the Upper Camas Drainage Environmental Assessment. The impact finding is the final decision document for the project.

The project is anticipated to begin late this summer in cooperation with Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.

The assessment evaluated impacts to native fish and aquatic species, recommended wilderness and natural soundscapes, common loons and other water birds, grizzly bears, and visitor use and experience.

It indicated that there was no potential for significant adverse impacts.