from 2000-2005. Juvenile bull trout densities have declined in both Monture Creek and 

 the North Fork, while Copper Creek surveys suggest more static juvenile densities 

 (Figure 3). 



Bull trout declines were also detected in the lower Blackfoot River main stem at 

 both (Johnsrud and Scotty Brown) long-term monitoring locations in 2004. At the Scotty 

 Brown section of the lower Blackfoot River, bull trout (>6.0") densities declined from 7.7 

 to 2.4 bull trout/1000' between 2000 and 2004. Our inability to generate a bull trout 

 population estimate at the Johnsrud section, a result of low catch rates, suggests a similar 

 decline (Results Part II). Bull trout population surveys in upper Cottonwood Creek 

 indicate low, but stable juvenile densities. Bull trout redd counts and juvenile population 

 densities increased in Dunham Creek following the correction of a severe erosion 

 problem at a small spawning site (Results Part III). However, in 2005 both redds and 

 juvenile production have declined. Conversely, in 2004-05 we detected bull trout in both 

 Nevada Spring Creek and lower Nevada Creek for the first time; both are areas where 

 restoration has improved habitat conditions and lowered water temperatures to levels 

 more suitable to bull trout (Results Part III). 



In 2004 and 2005, the Blackfoot Cooperators completed habitat restoration 

 projects in core area bull trout streams including: 1) planning road crossing and grazing 

 improvements on the mainstem of Cottonwood Creek; 2) channel reconstruction in Hoyt 

 Creek - (a tributary to Monture Creek); 3) flow enhancement on Murphy Spring Creek; 

 4) the reconstruction of Jacobsen Spring Creek, and 5) continued habitat work on both 

 Rock Creek and Kleinschmidt Creek (all in the North Fork Blackfoot River basin); and 6) 

 the identification of bull frout use in Snowbank Creek, a tributary of Copper Creek 

 (Results Part III). Other bull trout related projects included the removal of a culvert that 

 acted as a partial upstream fish passage barrier in Arrastra Creek, and two improved road 

 crossings in upper Poorman Creek. 



Although bull trout are particularly sensitive to many threats, at this time whirling 

 disease appears to be less of a concern for bull trout than for other salmonids. Compared 

 with WSCT, rainbow trout and brook trout, bull trout exhibit a greater physiological 

 resistance to whirling disease (Vincent 2002). In 2004, as whirling disease infection rates 

 continued to escalate, we expanded whirling disease monitoring to the bull trout 

 spawning and rearing areas of Cottonwood Creek, Monture Creek and the North Fork. 

 Sentinel fish exposures indicate that whirling disease is not yet present at these locations, 

 although the disease is present at various levels in lower reaches of these streams (Results 

 Part IV). 



Based on "recreational risks" for bull trout recovery, we recently identified bull 

 trout recovery - recreational conflict areas (Pierce et al. 2001). These conflict areas 

 refer to biologically critical sites (key spawning, rearing and staging areas, important 

 migration corridors and areas of thermal refuge) that overlap with recreational 

 developments, increased angler pressure and illegal bull trout harvest problems. In 2004, 

 we completed an angler-survey at these areas to assess regulation compliance, fish 

 identification skills, angling methods and angler demographics. The survey found high 

 regulation compliance but poor fish ID skills particularly among those intending to keep 

 fish. The study identified a need for education of specific angler groups and concerted 

 river recreation planning efforts in order for native fish recovery to be successfiil. Survey 



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