Reach 1 Reach 2 Reach 3 



Angler Surveys in Native Trout Recovery Areas within the Blackfoot River basin 



Background 



The Blackfoot River in west-central Montana provides a valuable wild trout 

 fishery comprised of introduced rainbow trout {Oncorhynchus mykiss), brown trout 

 {Salmo truttd) and native populations of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) and westslope 

 cutthroat trout {Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) (Pierce et al. 2004). Recent fishery recovery 

 efforts in the drainage have focused on native fluvial stocks. 



The distribution and abundance of fluvial bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout 

 (WSCT) in the Blackfoot watershed have been significantly reduced over the past 

 century. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) fisheries surveys in 1999-2004 

 show low to very low populations in the lower 120 miles of the Blackfoot River. 

 Abundance of adult bull trout in the main stem river reflects this scarcity as population 

 estimates on several reaches of the Blackfoot River indicate that average adult densities 

 are <l-5 per river mile (Pierce et al. 2004, MFWP unpublished data). Although fluvial 

 WSCT densities are also far below historic densities, these populations have increased 

 since the institution of catch and release fishing regulations in 1990 and subsequent 

 habitat restoration (Pierce et al. 2004). Factors contributing to the decline of native trout 

 populations in the Blackfoot River = 

 system include physical habitat - 

 degradation, loss of stream 

 connectivity, water quality 



degradation, introduction of non- 

 native salmonids and angling. 



The impact of angling 

 mortality continues to be of particular 

 concern for fluvial bull trout - 

 populations in the Blackfoot River 

 system. A series of recent 

 telemetry studies in the Blackfoot ~ 

 and upper Clark Fork Basins indicate 

 that intentional and unintentional 

 harvest is conservatively responsible 

 for 10%- 15% of annual fluvial bull 

 trout mortality (Knotek 2004; Pierce 

 2004; Schmetterling 2003; 

 Swanberg 1997a; Swanberg - 

 1997b). Patterns of angler use, 

 combined with bull trout behavior 

 and life history attributes make 

 fluvial bull trout susceptible to 

 illegal harvest and potentially high rates of delayed (catch and release) mortality. Angler 

 use has increased significantty (140%) since 1989 on the main stem river (Table 16). 

 Angling use has increased 553% in the middle Blackfoot River (reach 2), an area critical 



Year 



1989 

 1991 

 1993 

 1995 

 1997 

 1999 

 2001 

 2003 



8689 

 9789 

 14006 

 10964 

 11555 

 16791 

 10405 

 13595 



2054 

 ND 

 7951 

 10020 

 8939 

 10399 

 11626 

 10544 



2732 

 4186 

 4744 

 3972 

 5128 

 5213 

 3080 

 2715 



Total 



13475 

 13975 

 26701 

 24956 

 25622 

 32403 

 25111 

 26854 



Non-resident anglers (1989-2003) 



Year Reach 1 Reach 2 Reach 3 Total 



1989 

 1991 

 1993 

 1995 

 1997 

 1999 

 2001 

 2003 



1672 

 1239 

 3394 

 5555 

 3554 

 5974 

 2925 

 4861 



460 

 655 

 3258 

 3897 

 2980 

 5682 

 6253 

 5883 



622 



454 



826 



1818 



3190 



2356 



1859 



1427 



2754 



2348 



7478 



11270 



9724 



14012 



11037 



12171 



Table 16. Angler pressure estimates for the Blackfoot 

 River 1989-2003. 



hi. 



83 



