a telemetry study of fluvial bull trout and WSCT upstream of the North Fork. This study 

 involved surgically implanting transmitters in 44 fish in wintering areas of the Blackfoot 

 River and tracking movements over a two-year period. This study established seasonal 

 bull trout use in a degraded section of the Blackfoot River (North Fork to Nevada Creek) 

 and identified extensive movements between the upper Blackfoot River and spawning 

 sites in the North Fork and Copper Creek. Bull trout that spawned in Copper Creek (n=4) 

 migrated an average of 42.0 miles between wintering and spawning areas, then wintered 

 in Copper Creek before migrating downstream the following spring during high flows. 

 Only one bull trout ascended Copper Creek in 2003 and then died during the Snow-Talon 

 wildfire. North Fork bull trout (n=5) telemetered near the mouth of Nevada Creek 

 migrated an average of 3 1 miles to spawning areas. These fish exited the North Fork 

 shortly after spawning and returned to Blackfoot River wintering areas near Nevada 

 Creek. 



Movements of fluvial WSCT exhibited a wide range of movements between 

 winter areas of the Blackfoot River and seven spavming streams. Pre-spawning 

 movements ranging fi-om one to 42 miles. The great majority of habitat use by fluvial 

 adult fish occurred on private land. Telemetered WSCT displayed very little use of 

 degraded tributaries in the Garnet Mountains and no use of Nevada Creek (Results Part 

 IV). 



Beyond a vast scope of habitat-related restoration needs, many other challenges 

 (continued drought, escalation of whirling disease, habitat degradation, subdivision and 

 recreational pressures) to wild trout management and native fish recovery are emerging. 

 From a recreational perspective, the Blackfoot River is subject to 1) expanded 

 recreational developments in critical habitats, 2) large increases in angling pressure in 

 vital native fish waters, and 3) pervasive misidentification and illegal harvest of native 

 fish (Statewide angler pressure estimates 1989-2001, Schmetterling and Long 1999; 

 Schmetterling and Bohnemann 2001). Continued drought is contributing to population 

 declines throughout the Blackfoot watershed, including large declines in adult bull trout 

 in some areas of the watershed. Wildfire and wildfire suppression activities in proposed 

 critical bull trout habitat compound problems of low flows and elevated water 

 temperature. Questionable wdldfire suppression actions include: 1) an accidental release 

 of cyanide-based fire retardant at the Copper Creek bull trout spawning site, and 2) 

 extensive fire lines and road building in bum areas near the Gold Creek bull trout 

 spawning and rearing sites. These types of activities should prompt a review of agency 

 policies regarding appropriate methods of fire-fighting in spawning sites and other 

 critical habitats, particularly in areas as remote as upper Copper Creek. Additional 

 challenges involve recent introductions of unwanted (and illegal) exotic fish species in 

 waters of the Blackfoot Watershed (Pierce et al. 2001) and the continued expansion of 

 whirling disease. 



Whirling disease, caused by the exotic parasite Myxoholns cerehralis, continues 

 to expand at the low elevations of the watershed, with infections now confirmed from the 

 confluence of the Blackfoot River to the mouth of Alice Creek. WTiirling disease 

 infection rates area also increasing at the low elevations of several tributaries to the lower 

 Blackfoot River (Results Part IV). 



