Arts & Entertainment
Water Wisdom: Good Genes
Published
5 years agoon
Posted By
Outlaw PartnersNative fish thrive in Big Sky
By Stephanie Lynn EBS CONTRIBUTOR
A study performed by the Greater Yellowstone Coalition in collaboration with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the Custer Gallatin National Forest confirmed westslope cutthroat trout in the South Fork of the West Fork above Ousel Falls have a low percentage of hybridization.
Silvery green with a slash of red across their lower jaws, cutthroat trout are striking reminders of the West as Lewis and Clark saw it. They also occupy a vital place in complex food webs.
Habitat loss, introduced species and overfishing have precipitated the decline of these native fish resulting in their designation as a species of concern by the state of Montana. Foreign trout species, including brook and brown trout, outcompete juvenile cutthroat for food and also prey on cutthroat trout, while rainbow trout engulf endemic genes through interbreeding.
Hoping to protect threatened trout, GYC and their agency partners surveyed three streams that flow into the Gallatin River for westslope cutthroat trout in 2018. Promising preliminary findings in the South Fork led to formal fish genetics analyses at seven locations on this creek and its tributaries, funded in part by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. After sampling, GYC planned to ensure native trout persist in the South Fork, either by removing hybrid “cutbows” or by using a technique known as “swamping” to infuse the population with genetically-pure westslope stock.
“We expected to find a hybridized westslope cutthroat population above Ousel Falls, but discovered a conservation population with on average nearly 95 percent westslope cutthroat genes,” said Bob Zimmer, GYC waters program coordinator.
The study estimated that the South Fork shelters approximately 1,000 to 1,200 fish per mile with genes that are 93 to 95 percent westslope cutthroat and five percent Yellowstone cutthroat. In addition, some fish had one to three percent rainbow genes. With these unexpected results in hand, the partners doubled-down on other efforts to protect the endemic population.
The headwaters of the South Fork are located within the Yellowstone Club, where the YC manages guided trips through stream rotation and closures in sensitive areas while educating their members about fish handling and stream etiquette.
“The genetic testing last summer provided similar results to the previous two samplings that have been done and further proved that there is an incredible fisheries resource in the upper South Fork watershed,” said Rich Chandler, environmental manager at the Yellowstone Club. “We intend to maintain all the programs at YC that help promote the westslope cutthroat trout’s important role in the ecosystem.”
Ousel Falls creates a natural barrier that harbors one of six conservation populations of westslope cutthroat trout in the Upper Gallatin watershed. Protecting these vulnerable fish through habitat conservation and fisheries management sustains their vital ecological niche and our natural heritage.
Stephanie Lynn is the education and communications coordinator for the Gallatin River Task Force.
The Outlaw Partners is a creative marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky, Montana.
Upcoming Events
march, 2024
Event Type :
All
All
Arts
Education
Music
Other
Sports
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before 9/10/2024:
more
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before
9/10/2024: Kindergarten
enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year can be completed by following the
registration process now.
Children
born on or after September 11, 2019: 4K enrollment is now open for
families that have a 4-year-old they would like to enroll in our program for
the 2023-2024 school year. Please complete the 4K Interest Form to
express your interest. Completing this form does not guarantee enrollment into
the 4K program. Enrollment is capped at twenty 4-year-olds currently
residing within Big Sky School District boundary full time and will be
determined by birth date in calendar order of those born on or after September
11, 2018. Interest form closes on May 30th.
Enrollment now is critical for fall preparations. Thank you!
Time
February 26 (Monday) - April 21 (Sunday)
Event Details
My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy
more
Event Details
My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy that tells the story of Toby and Melinda, two lonely people whose lives are forever changed the night they encounter a starving coyote at their apartment building. Over time they grow to expect him, leaving ritual offerings to entice the coyote every night. Toby and Melinda forge a connection over this visitor and share curiosity and concern about his presence in the city. The coyote expands their world–until, one night, their world is shattered. Their lives are pushed suddenly into uncharted territory, sending them on a surreal odyssey that changes their city–and the world–forever.
Directed by LX Miller. Starring Max Schneider and Denise Hergett
Verge Theater is continuing their mission to provide accessible theater to our community. Tickets for My Barking Dog are Pay What You Wish with a suggested price of $35. Audience members are offered the opportunity to select the price point that is comfortable for them when purchasing tickets.
My Barking Dog runs March 15-17, 22-24, 28-30
Performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays begin at 7:00 p.m., with Sunday matinees offered at 3:00 p.m.
Suitable for ages 16 . No animals are harmed in the staging of this production.
Tickets are available online at www.vergetheater.com
Time
15 (Friday) 7:00 pm - 30 (Saturday) 8:30 pm
Location
Verge Theater
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
more
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
Time
March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm
Location
Santosha Wellness Center
169 Snowy Mountain Circle
29mar3:00 pm4:00 pmGood Friday Mass: St. Joseph Catholic Mission3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Event City:Big Sky
Event Details
Friday of the Passion of the Lord St. Joseph Catholic Mission
Event Details
Friday of the Passion of the Lord
St. Joseph Catholic Mission
Time
(Friday) 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm