My Page: Dave Loos
conservation overkill?
To Protect Cutthroat, the South Fork of the Flathead to be Poisoned
It sounds like the most drastic of measures -- killing an entire natural fishery in order to replace it with another.
But federal and state officials, and some environment groups, say a controversial plan to poison 21 lakes and streams in the South Fork Flathead River Watershed in Northwest Montana beginning next month is a necessary move, aimed at protecting one of Montana’s prized species, the native westslope cutthroat trout.
Others, including many local ranchers, businesses and outfitters, maintain that the Westslope Cutthroat Conservation Project's attempt to remove rainbow and hybrid trout species from the drainage is destined to fail, causing further damage to fragile ecosystems.
The opportunity for opponents to comment, however, has long passed, and barring unforeseen circumstances, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials will begin the poisoning project in early October.
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