Thoughts

[Don Andersen]

Morning, no idea if it’s good yet- too early to tell!

Found this:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...tion-1.6571019

Twice in the article the temperature of the water was pointed out as the cause of the cutthroat demise.
How to reduce the water temps is unclear although glaciers melting is mentioned.

The question that should be asked, is the replacement of a failed species with s successful one reasonable?

Don

[Don Andersen]

As the lake is where it is, were the cutthroat introduced by parks originally.
I do know parks tossed fish into everything years ago.
Perhaps the cuts were not originally in the lake?
,

Don

[Parker Hale]

Your question as to whether cutthroat were stocked by parks is a good one, and I would love to know the answer. Around Cranbrook area we a have several small lakes with native cutthroat populations.
Now to the CBC article, first off we all know what CBC is, so in the name of being civilized I'll leave that there. My thoughts are poor management is the main cause of this decline, "Hey lets throw a whole bunch of non native fish in here, what could go wrong?". Is the climate having an effect? It's very possible but it is not the main cause, but by blaming climate change they accomplish two things. They push the political agenda and deflect away from the real cause, incompetence of the government. A great case of this is what has happened on Kootenay Lake. Hit the panic button, Oh my god! we have to protect the Bull Trout at all costs with no thought on the adverse effects of doing so. I think pretty much all of us anglers know full well what Bull Trout are, voracious predators and what an increase in predators will do to other species. Now the Kokanee stocks have been decimated and it is open season on bull trout. Instead of trying to find a balanced solution to give the bull trout protection while keeping other populations healthy. Terrible management followed by terrible decision making by bureaucrats sitting behind desks in a city hundreds of kms away.
Disclaimer: I am not a scientist and these are my thoughts and opinions based on my personal observations having been an outdoorsman all my life.

[3blade]

Cutts have been found naturally in isolated systems. The landscape is not static, who knows when that waterfall appeared. Probably a good thing to have another genetically pure source population reservoir.

I don’t particularly care as I’ll eat either one without complaint, though I do prefer brook trout.

The comments about climate change, early Canadian history, and restoration follow a predictable political undertone from both parks and cbc.

[goldscud]

The loss of Cutthroat populations across Alberta has a lot more to do with poor stewardship of habitat by man and hybridization with rainbows than a warming climate.
Logging, mining and oil industry extraction, along with the roads created in association have done a ton of damage.
I believe that Parks is hoping Hidden lake will act as a genetic reservoir for pure Cutts.
It would seem that some folks think biodiversity and saving species before they disappear has value....maybe more than a bucket of coal.

[Parker Hale]

Good point goldscud, I was focusing on the lakes and management practices of governments. The rivers and creeks around here have definitely been effected by destruction of habitat and building roads for logging, as well as damage from forest fires.