Brown Trout (Salmo Trutta): a Technical Conservation Assessment

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Brown Trout (Salmo Trutta): a Technical Conservation Assessment Brown Trout (Salmo trutta): A Technical Conservation Assessment Prepared for the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Species Conservation Project April 26, 2007 Laura Belica1 with life cycle model by David McDonald, Ph.D.2 11623 Steele Street, Laramie Wyoming 82070 2Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, P.O. Box 3166, Laramie, WY 82071 Belica, L. (2007, April 26). Brown Trout (Salmo trutta): a technical conservation assessment. [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assessments/ browntrout.pdf [date of access]. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank the many biologists and managers from Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming and from the national forests within Region 2 who provided information about brown trout populations in their jurisdictions. I also extend my appreciation to David B. McDonald at the University of Wyoming for the population demographic matrix analysis he provided. Thank you to Nathan P. Nibbelink for coordinating the cost- share agreement with the USDA Forest Service. I especially thank Richard Vacirca, Gary Patton, and David Winters of the USDA Forest Service for their help in bringing this report to completion. I thank Nancy McDonald and Kimberly Nguyen for their attention to detail in preparing this report for publication. Finally, I would like to thank Peter McHugh for graciously taking the time to review and comment on this assessment. AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHY Laura A. T. Belica received a M.S. degree in Zoology and Physiology from the University of Wyoming in 2003 (as L.A. Thel). Her research interests center around the ecology of fishes, hydrology, and watershed management, especially as they relate to the management of aquatic ecosystems and native fishes. COVER PHOTO CREDIT Brown trout (Salmo trutta). Photograph taken by Eric Engbretson. Used with permission. 2 3 SUMMARY OF KEY COMPONENTS FOR CONSERVATION OF BROWN TROUT The brown trout (Salmo trutta) is native to Europe, North Africa, and West Asia, and since its introduction to North America in 1883, it is now found throughout southern Canada and much of the United States. Brown trout have been introduced into streams, rivers, reservoirs, and lakes and have been able to form self-sustaining populations in all of these environments. Non-native brown trout are thought to have replaced native inland cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki) in parts of their range, particularly in large rivers and lakes. Within the Rocky Mountain Region (Region 2) of the USDA Forest Service (USFS), brown trout are found in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming, but are most widespread in Colorado and Wyoming. In those states of Region 2 where they occur, except for Kansas, brown trout are found in public waters providing recreational fisheries, including on many federal lands, such as several National Forest System, National Park System, and Bureau of Land Management lands. Water management activities that alter stream flow during spawning and the sensitive early life stages can adversely affect naturalized brown trout populations. Land management practices may also degrade or reduce habitat and negatively affect populations. Fisheries management activities applied to brown trout are mostly designed to maintain or improve recreational trout fisheries. However, in areas where the preservation or restoration of native fish populations is a primary goal, removal of brown trout may be a component of native species recovery efforts. Brown trout tolerate annual fluctuations in fertility, but populations are sensitive to changes in absolute survivorship of young-of-year and changes in relative proportions of the younger age-classes in the population. If conditions that lower brown trout yearling recruitment or change the proportion of age-0 through age-2 fish in a population are sustained over several years, population age-structure, size, and biomass may be altered. 2 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..............................................................................................................................................2 AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHY............................................................................................................................................2 COVER PHOTO CREDIT .............................................................................................................................................2 SUMMARY OF KEY COMPONENTS FOR CONSERVATION OF BROWN TROUT .............................................3 LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES ...............................................................................................................................6 INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................................................7 Goal............................................................................................................................................................................7 Scope, Uncertainty, and Limitations ..........................................................................................................................7 Web Publication and Peer Review .............................................................................................................................9 MANAGEMENT STATUS AND NATURAL HISTORY .............................................................................................9 Management Status and Existing Regulatory Mechanisms.......................................................................................9 USDA Forest Service ............................................................................................................................................9 State agencies ........................................................................................................................................................9 Biology and Ecology................................................................................................................................................10 Description and systematics................................................................................................................................10 Taxonomy .......................................................................................................................................................10 Identification...................................................................................................................................................11 Distribution and abundance.................................................................................................................................12 Range..............................................................................................................................................................12 Abundance and population trends ..................................................................................................................16 Activity and movement patterns .........................................................................................................................19 Social patterns for spacing..............................................................................................................................20 Diel activity patterns and behavior.................................................................................................................21 Movement patterns .........................................................................................................................................25 Patterns of dispersal of young and adults.......................................................................................................28 Habitat .................................................................................................................................................................29 Habitat use - streams and rivers......................................................................................................................30 Habitat use - reservoirs and lakes...................................................................................................................33 Spawning habitat ............................................................................................................................................34 Winter habitat use - streams and rivers...........................................................................................................35 Young-of-year habitat use...............................................................................................................................36 Juvenile habitat use.........................................................................................................................................40 Food habits ..........................................................................................................................................................41 Breeding biology.................................................................................................................................................45 Spawning season ............................................................................................................................................47 Incubation period............................................................................................................................................47
Recommended publications
  • The Ecology and Management of the European Grayling Thymallus Thymallus (Linnaeus)
    The ecology and management of the European grayling Thymallus thymallus (Linnaeus). Interim report Item Type monograph Authors Ingram, A.; Ibbotson, A.; Gallagher, M. Publisher Institute of Freshwater Ecology Download date 03/10/2021 22:03:11 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/1834/24874 The Ecology and Management of the European Grayling Thymallus thymallus (Linnaeus) Interim Report Ingram A Ibbotson A Gallagher M The Ecology and Management of the European Grayling Thymallus thymallus (Linnaeus) Interim Report Ingram A Ibbotson A Gallagher M INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT 'In accordance with our normal practice, this report is for the use only of the party to whom it is addressed, and no responsibility is accepted to any third party for the whole or any part of its contents. Neither the whole nor any part of this report or any reference thereto may be included in any published document, circular or statement, nor published or referred to in any way without our written approval of the form and context in which it may appear.' 11 CHAPTER 1 1 Overall aim A collaborative research and development project between the Institute of Freshwater Ecology and the Environment Agency in the UK, to review the ecology, status and management of grayling in order to provide recommendations for future management of grayling fisheries in England and Wales. 2 Objectives • To review grayling ecology, status and management practice in concentrating on England and Wales but including published literature from Europe and North America, where appropriate. • To recommend best management practices on the basis of objective 1 and produce a guidance leaflet for internal and external circulation which promotes the key issues.
    [Show full text]
  • Burbot Management Plan
    BURBOT MANAGEMENT PLAN DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE DIVISION OF FISHERIES AND HATCHERIES PREPARED BY SCOTT A. ROY ASSISTANT REGIONAL FISHERIES BIOLOGIST REGION E MARCH 2001 BURBOT LIFE HISTORY The burbot, Lota lota (Linnaeus), is a unique member of the cod family. It is the only species in the family, which spends its entire life in fresh water. However, the burbot is similar to its marine relatives in that its distribution is circumpolar. It can be found in cool, fresh waters throughout northern Europe, Asia and North America. In North America its range extends as far south as the northern tier of States across the United States. In Maine, the burbot is commonly known as the cusk, although in other areas it is also called the ling, eelpout, loche and lawyer. Unlike the salmonids and Maine’s other coldwater species, the burbot is not noted for its grace and beauty. The body is elongate, almost eel-shaped, with long, soft-rayed dorsal and anal fins that meet a rounded tail. Although it is smooth and slimy to the touch, the skin is embedded with very small, cycloid scales. The head of the burbot is broad and somewhat flattened. It has a large mouth containing several rows of small teeth on the jaws. A single, whisker-like barbell protrudes from the tip of the chin. There are no obvious external differences between males and females. In general, adults are olive brown to dark brown on the back and sides. This background is overlaid with distinctive patterns of dark brown or black markings and spots.
    [Show full text]
  • Edna Assay Development
    Environmental DNA assays available for species detection via qPCR analysis at the U.S.D.A Forest Service National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation (NGC). Asterisks indicate the assay was designed at the NGC. This list was last updated in June 2021 and is subject to change. Please contact [email protected] with questions. Family Species Common name Ready for use? Mustelidae Martes americana, Martes caurina American and Pacific marten* Y Castoridae Castor canadensis American beaver Y Ranidae Lithobates catesbeianus American bullfrog Y Cinclidae Cinclus mexicanus American dipper* N Anguillidae Anguilla rostrata American eel Y Soricidae Sorex palustris American water shrew* N Salmonidae Oncorhynchus clarkii ssp Any cutthroat trout* N Petromyzontidae Lampetra spp. Any Lampetra* Y Salmonidae Salmonidae Any salmonid* Y Cottidae Cottidae Any sculpin* Y Salmonidae Thymallus arcticus Arctic grayling* Y Cyrenidae Corbicula fluminea Asian clam* N Salmonidae Salmo salar Atlantic Salmon Y Lymnaeidae Radix auricularia Big-eared radix* N Cyprinidae Mylopharyngodon piceus Black carp N Ictaluridae Ameiurus melas Black Bullhead* N Catostomidae Cycleptus elongatus Blue Sucker* N Cichlidae Oreochromis aureus Blue tilapia* N Catostomidae Catostomus discobolus Bluehead sucker* N Catostomidae Catostomus virescens Bluehead sucker* Y Felidae Lynx rufus Bobcat* Y Hylidae Pseudocris maculata Boreal chorus frog N Hydrocharitaceae Egeria densa Brazilian elodea N Salmonidae Salvelinus fontinalis Brook trout* Y Colubridae Boiga irregularis Brown tree snake*
    [Show full text]
  • Sport-Fish-Identification.Pdf
    Walleye Walleye have two distinct fins on their back, the first with large spines. Lake Sturgeon They have a yellow-olive back, brassy, silvery sides with yellow spots, a white underside, and white on the lower lobe of the tail. Dusky vertical Lake Sturgeon are a Threatened Species due to population size and bars are often found on the body as well. concerns with viability. Lake Sturgeon have a large brown or grey body covered with tough, leather- like tissue and five rows of bony plates. They have a shark-like, upturned tail and a pointed snout with four barbels. Sauger Lake Whitefish are olive-green to blue on the back, with silvery sides.They Sauger are a Threatened Species due to hybridization, habitat Lakehave a small Whitefish mouth below a rounded snout, and a deeply forked tail. degradation and overharvest. Sauger are golden olive on the back with silver-yellow sides and a white underside. They also have a large spiny dorsal fin, distinct rows of spots on the dorsal fins and three or four dusky vertical bars on the body. Mountain Whitefish have large scales, no spots and small mouths with no Burbot Mountainteeth. Their general Whitefish body colour is a bronze-white or greenish white. Burbot have a slim, brownish black body with smooth skin, a flattened head, and a fin that stretches along the back half of the body. Distinctive barbels hang from the lower jaw and nostrils. Goldeye Northern Pike Goldeye have prominent eyes with bright yellow pupils, a blunt head, and Northern Pike are a long, slender fish with duck-like jaws and a long, flat a deep, compressed body.
    [Show full text]
  • LF0071 Ch6.Pdf
    Figure 6.2: Watersheds (HUC 10) and Sub‐Watersheds (HUC 12) of the Kickapoo River Region. 6‐2 1. OVERVIEW a) Physical Environment This region encompasses both the Kickapoo and La Crosse rivers with a long, large upland ridge running from Norwalk in La Crosse County, south‐southwest to Eastman in Crawford County. On either side of this ridge are numerous narrow hills and valleys that are home to countless headwater creeks. Fed by springs and seeps, these cold waters form some of the most popular trout angling streams in the Driftless Area. Much of the region is covered with deep loess deposits over bedrock (primarily dolostone, sandstone or shale). Soils are primarily silt loams. The region is home to many dry and wet cliffs. The valleys contain stream terraces and floodplains. Streams are high gradient with fast water flow in the headwaters transitioning to meandering low gradient segments as they move toward the Kickapoo and Mississippi Rivers. Groundwater is recharged directly through precipitation. This area has no natural lakes. Figure 6.3: Land cover of the Kickapoo River Region. b) Land Cover and Use The region’s most common land cover is upland forest which blankets most of the hillsides. Crop land is restricted to the uplands and valley floors. The broad, high ridge around Westby and Viroqua is the largest block of upland farmland in the region. The La Crosse River valley floor is also heavily farmed. Very little of the region is prime farmland. c) Terrestrial Habitats This region is especially noteworthy for its current opportunities for the management of big block forests and dry prairie/oak openings near the Mississippi and Kickapoo rivers as well as oak barrens and southern mesic forest in portions of Monroe County.
    [Show full text]
  • Fishing Boulder Mountain
    FISHING BOULDER MOUNTAIN A Utah Blue Ribbon fishing destination UTAH’S BLUE RIBBON FISHERIES Blue Ribbon waters, like those on Boulder Mountain, provide Utah’s 400,000-plus anglers with quality fishing experiences in exquisite settings. These environmentally productive waters sustain healthy fish populations, preserve a wonderful part of fishing culture and provide an economic boost to local communities. COVER PHOTO, HORSESHOE LAKE INTRODUCTION OULDER MOUNTAIN has long been The Public Involvement Committee recognized known for trophy brook trout. However, the uniqueness of fisheries on Boulder Mountain. B the trophy-sized brook trout that anglers The committee focused its attention on improving have come to expect from Boulder Mountain lakes the qualty and diversity of opportunities available have declined. to anglers. In 2014 a public committee made up of anglers, Committee members recognized the history and local residents and agency representatives assisted long-standing tradition of trophy brook trout the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in the de- fishing on the mountain, then made recommenda- velopment of a management plan to deal with these tions to improve many of those opportunities. issues. A total of 82 lakes, ponds and reservoirs Based on this plan, 35 percent of the lakes on were discussed by the committee. Management Boulder Mountain are managed for trophy brook recommendations were made for each water body. trout, and 83 percent have a trophy fish compo- This booklet provides a brief overview of manage- nent in the fishery. ment goals set forth by the committee in an attempt to improve and maintain not only brook trout fishing, but the quality, diversity and uniqueness of the fisheries on Boulder Mountain.
    [Show full text]
  • Cody Region Angler Newsletter Volume 13 2019
    Wyoming Game and Fish Department Cody Region Angler Newsletter Volume 13 2019 Inside this issue: Fish Management in the Cody Region Lower Sunshine 2 Ice Fishing Welcome to the 2019 Cody Region Angler Newsletter! A lot of great work took Cutthroat Collab- 3 place last year, all in an effort to sustain and enhance the amazing aquatic resources orative in the Big Horn Basin. Tiger Musky 4 We hope you enjoy these highlights from last field season and we look forward to Stocking seeing you on the water in 2019! Brook Stickleback 4 As always, please feel free to contact us with any comments or questions about the Research aquatic resources in northern Wyoming. Your input is important to us as we manage these resources for you, the people of Wyoming. You’ll find all of our contact info on Spiny Softshell 5 the last page of this newsletter. Turtle Surveys Bighorn Sauger 6-7 Finishing Touches 8 on Renner Medicine Lodge 9 Creek Update Photo Segment 9 Update on Bighorn 10- River Trout Fishery 11 Joe Skorupski Jason Burckhardt Sam Hochhalter Fisheries Biologist Fisheries Biologist Important Dates in 12 2019 Alex LeCheminant Laura Burckhardt Erin Leonetti AIS Specialist Aquatic Habitat Biologist Fish Passage Biologist Page 2 Cody Region Ice Fishing Lower Sunshine Reservoir Lower Sunshine Reservoir is located approximately eight miles southwest of Meeteetse and as the name implies, is near the more well-known Upper Sunshine Reservoir. As many local fishermen will attest to, Lower Sunshine is an amazing fishery. For better or worse, many anglers end up passing it by on their way to fish Upper Sushine Reservoir and this article is aimed at shed- ding some light on what folks are driving by.
    [Show full text]
  • Lake Tahoe Fish Species
    Description: o The Lohonton cutfhroot trout (LCT) is o member of the Solmonidqe {trout ond solmon) fomily, ond is thought to be omong the most endongered western solmonids. o The Lohonton cufihroot wos listed os endongered in 1970 ond reclossified os threotened in 1975. Dork olive bdcks ond reddish to yellow sides frequently chorocterize the LCT found in streoms. Steom dwellers reoch l0 inches in length ond only weigh obout I lb. Their life spon is less thon 5 yeors. ln streoms they ore opportunistic feeders, with diets consisting of drift orgonisms, typicolly terrestriol ond oquotic insects. The sides of loke-dwelling LCT ore often silvery. A brood, pinkish stripe moy be present. Historicolly loke dwellers reoched up to 50 inches in length ond weigh up to 40 pounds. Their life spon is 5-14yeors. ln lokes, smoll Lohontons feed on insects ond zooplonkton while lorger Lohonions feed on other fish. Body spots ore the diognostic chorocter thot distinguishes the Lohonion subspecies from the .l00 Poiute cutthroot. LCT typicolly hove 50 to or more lorge, roundish-block spots thot cover their entire bodies ond their bodies ore typicolly elongoted. o Like other cufihroot trout, they hove bosibronchiol teeth (on the bose of tongue), ond red sloshes under their iow (hence the nome "cutthroot"). o Femole sexuol moturity is reoch between oges of 3 ond 4, while moles moture ot 2 or 3 yeors of oge. o Generolly, they occur in cool flowing woier with ovoiloble cover of well-vegetoted ond stoble streom bonks, in oreos where there ore streom velocity breoks, ond in relotively silt free, rocky riffle-run oreos.
    [Show full text]
  • Trout Unlimited
    Trout Unlimited MINNESOTAThe Official Publication of Minnesota Trout Unlimited - June 2015 MNTU Photo Contest Winners! Vermillion River Update MNTU Photo Contest Winners Book Review - Sea Winter Salmon Summer Volunteer Opportunities! And Lots More! without written permisssion of Minnesota Trout Unlimited. Trout Minnesota of permisssion written without Copyright 2015 Minnsota Trout Unlimited - No Portion of this publication may be reproduced reproduced be may publication this of Portion No - Unlimited Trout Minnsota 2015 Copyright Brook Trout Biology In Southeast Minnesota ROCHESTER, MN ROCHESTER, PERMIT NO. 281 NO. PERMIT Chanhassen, MN 55317-0845 MN Chanhassen, PAID P.O. Box 845 Box P.O. U.S. POSTAGE POSTAGE U.S. Non-Profit Org. Non-Profit Minnesota Trout Unlimited Trout Minnesota Trout Unlimited Minnesota Council Update MINNESOTA The Voice of MNTU Time to Fish By JP Little, Minnesota Council Chair On The Cover elcome to the 2015 summer and spawning and generally ignoring us Minnesota Trout Unlimited humans. A few steelhead even decided A pasture in the habitat improvement statewide newsletter. Sum- that our flies were worth taking – ‘twas section of Pickwick Creek (Trout W mer has broken out all over the great a glorious day. Brook) in Winona County at first light. state of Minnesota, and ‘tis the season Photo by Bruce Adelsman, MNTU to enjoy our many, many miles of trout I would like to welcome Dean Campbell 2015 Photo Contest Winner. streams. From Southeast to Central to as the incoming President of the Twin the North Shore, we have countless op- Cities chapter, and thank Mark John- portunities to chase trout and wild steel- son for his service to the Twin Cities head.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 WYOMING GAME and FISH DEPARTMENT March 1, 2013
    GOVERNOR MATTHEW H. MEAD DIRECTOR WYOMING GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT SCOTT TALBOTT COMMISSIONERS AARON CLARK – President 5400 Bishop Blvd. Cheyenne, WY 82006 MIKE HEALY – Vice President 1 MARK ANSELMI Phone: (307) 777-4600 Fax: (307) 777-4699 KEITH CULVER RICHARD KLOUDA wgfd.wyo.gov T. CARRIE LITTLE CHARLES PRICE March 1, 2013 MEMORANDUM TO: Honorable Matthew H. Mead FROM: Mark Fowden, Chief, Fish Division COPY TO: Director’s Office, Mike Choma, file SUBJECT: Justification for Emergency Rule, Chapter 46, Fishing Regulations The Sixty-Second Legislature of the State of Wyoming 2013 General Session made a change to W.S. §23-1-101. This change was included in HB 0131/HEA 0052. Specifically, the provision enabled the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission to designate game fish as nongame fish in specific waters. This statutory change was intended to become effective immediately. Due to the Department’s cycle for updating fishing regulations only once every two years, an emergency rule is necessary in order to have this change effective prior to January 1, 2014. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department proposes to amend Wyoming Game and Fish Commission Chapter 46, Fishing Regulations, to edit the definition of “Game Fish” to allow a game fish to be designated as a nongame fish in specific waters. The Department also proposes to designate a game fish, burbot (ling), as a nongame fish in the Green River, Little Snake River, Bear River and Great Divide Basin drainages. This regulation change will allow anglers harvesting burbot in these drainages to dispose of edible portions of this illegally introduced species.
    [Show full text]
  • Onseriation of Bull Trout
    United States - De artment of Iariculture Demographic and Forest Service Intermountain Research Statlon Habit4 Reauirements General Technical Report INT-302 for ~onseriationof September 1993 Bull Trout Bruce E. Rieman John D. Mclntyre THE AUTHORS CONTENTS BRUCE E. RlEMAN is a research fishery biologist with Page the lntermountain Research Station, Forestry Sciences Introduction ................................................................... 1 Laboratory in Boise, ID. He received a master's degree Ecology ......................................................................... 1 in fisheries management and a Ph.D. degree in for- Biology and Life History ............................................ 2 estry, wildlife, and range sciences from the University Population Structure.................................................. 3 of Idaho. He has worked in fisheries management and Biotic Interactions ...................................................... 3 research for 17 years with the ldaho Department of Habitat Relationships ................................................ 4 Fish and Game and the Oregon Department of Fish Summary ...................................................................7 and Wildlife. He joined the Forest Service in 1992. His Implications of Habitat Disturbance .............................. 7 current work focuses on the biology, dynamics, and' Extinction Risks ......................................................... 9 conservation of salmonid populations in the Intermoun- Viability ...................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Lake Superior Food Web MENT of C
    ATMOSPH ND ER A I C C I A N D A M E I C N O I S L T A R N A T O I I O T N A N U E .S C .D R E E PA M RT OM Lake Superior Food Web MENT OF C Sea Lamprey Walleye Burbot Lake Trout Chinook Salmon Brook Trout Rainbow Trout Lake Whitefish Bloater Yellow Perch Lake herring Rainbow Smelt Deepwater Sculpin Kiyi Ruffe Lake Sturgeon Mayfly nymphs Opossum Shrimp Raptorial waterflea Mollusks Amphipods Invasive waterflea Chironomids Zebra/Quagga mussels Native waterflea Calanoids Cyclopoids Diatoms Green algae Blue-green algae Flagellates Rotifers Foodweb based on “Impact of exotic invertebrate invaders on food web structure and function in the Great Lakes: NOAA, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, 4840 S. State Road, Ann Arbor, MI A network analysis approach” by Mason, Krause, and Ulanowicz, 2002 - Modifications for Lake Superior, 2009. 734-741-2235 - www.glerl.noaa.gov Lake Superior Food Web Sea Lamprey Macroinvertebrates Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). An aggressive, non-native parasite that Chironomids/Oligochaetes. Larval insects and worms that live on the lake fastens onto its prey and rasps out a hole with its rough tongue. bottom. Feed on detritus. Species present are a good indicator of water quality. Piscivores (Fish Eaters) Amphipods (Diporeia). The most common species of amphipod found in fish diets that began declining in the late 1990’s. Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Pacific salmon species stocked as a trophy fish and to control alewife. Opossum shrimp (Mysis relicta). An omnivore that feeds on algae and small cladocerans.
    [Show full text]