Quote:
Originally Posted by Smoky buck
Lots of factors involved in the loss of bull trout populations but everything in my post still stands
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The rainbows in the Madison fell to 10% of their historic numbers when WD showed up. A small side creek, I’ve read, had a population of rainbows that were somewhat resistant to WD. These repopulated the river. Took 30 years to get to 90% of per-WD levels.
Where this experience is different than AlBerta:
1) the source water was cones from a Federally Protected land in Yellowstone Park.
2) there is very little cattle grazing along the river
3) there are no mines or mine exploration in the headwaters
4) there is no Recreational !and destruction (quads) allowed.
5) there is no villages of RV’s along the river with frying pans at ready
So, if you wait 50+ years w/o any effort taken, you MIGHT recover somewhat.
The Province doing nothing has got us Whirling Disease, Chronic Wasting, Asian Carp, invasives everywhere.
Just so you know, the Rainbows from Germany (Hofer) were exported to Germany, the ones that survived have some resistance to WD. These started in the USA and now are returning.
Of course, sitting, doing nothing has been the operating standard in Alberta for 50 years and it shows.
Don