Westslope Cutthroat Trout in Idaho

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Westslope Cutthroat Trout in Idaho Management Plan for the Conservation of Westslope Cutthroat Trout in Idaho Idaho Department of Fish and Game Fisheries Bureau Boise, Idaho November 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................. 1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................................................... 3 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 3 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................................... 3 Goals ....................................................................................................................................................... 3 Objectives ............................................................................................................................................... 3 Distribution ............................................................................................................................................. 3 Taxonomy ............................................................................................................................................... 4 Morphometrics ....................................................................................................................................... 4 Life History and Ecology ......................................................................................................................... 6 Habitat Requirements ............................................................................................................................ 6 Feeding Habits ........................................................................................................................................ 7 Biotic Interactions .................................................................................................................................. 7 Population Viability ................................................................................................................................ 8 Management Status ............................................................................................................................... 8 Regulatory Mechanisms ......................................................................................................................... 8 GEOGRAPHIC MANAGEMENT UNITS ............................................................................................................ 9 North Idaho River Basins ........................................................................................................................ 9 Moyie River GMU ............................................................................................................................. 9 Lower Kootenai River GMU ........................................................................................................... 16 Priest River/Lakes GMU ................................................................................................................. 20 Pend Oreille/Clark Fork GMU ........................................................................................................ 24 Upper Spokane River GMU ............................................................................................................ 34 Coeur d’Alene Basin GMU ............................................................................................................. 36 Clearwater River Basins ........................................................................................................................ 46 Lower and Upper North Fork Clearwater River GMU .................................................................... 46 Clearwater and Middle Fork Clearwater GMU .............................................................................. 56 Lochsa River GMU .......................................................................................................................... 60 Lower and Upper Selway River GMU ............................................................................................. 64 South Fork Clearwater River GMU ................................................................................................. 72 Salmon River Basin ............................................................................................................................... 76 i TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Lemhi River GMU ........................................................................................................................... 76 Distribution and Abundance ................................................................................................... 81 Pahsimeroi River GMU ................................................................................................................... 81 Distribution and Abundance ................................................................................................... 86 Upper Salmon River GMU .............................................................................................................. 86 Distribution and Abundance ................................................................................................... 92 Middle Salmon River-Panther Creek GMU .................................................................................... 92 Distribution and Abundance ................................................................................................... 98 Middle Fork Salmon River GMU .................................................................................................... 98 Distribution and Abundance ................................................................................................. 104 South Fork Salmon River GMU .................................................................................................... 110 Distribution and Abundance ................................................................................................. 112 Middle Salmon River-Chamberlain Creek GMU .......................................................................... 116 Little Salmon River GMU .............................................................................................................. 118 Lower Salmon River GMU ............................................................................................................ 121 FACTORS AFFECTING THE STATUS OF WCT .............................................................................................. 124 Habitat Degradation and Fragmentation ........................................................................................... 124 Habitat Quality ............................................................................................................................. 125 Non-native Species ............................................................................................................................. 125 Fish Stocking ................................................................................................................................ 125 Presence of Other Fish Species .................................................................................................... 128 Genetic Introgression ......................................................................................................................... 130 Exploitation......................................................................................................................................... 130 Water Quality ..................................................................................................................................... 131 Climate Change ................................................................................................................................... 132 Population Trends and Extinction Risk ............................................................................................... 133 Fishing Rules ....................................................................................................................................... 134 Fish Stocking ....................................................................................................................................... 134 Restoring Connectivity ....................................................................................................................... 134 Genetic Considerations in Management and Conservation .............................................................. 135 General Management Actions ............................................................................................................ 136 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Management Priorities and Actions ................................................................................................... 138 PROPOSED CONSERVATION ACTIONS FOR WCT BY GMU ........................................................................ 139 North Idaho River Basins .................................................................................................................... 139 Moyie River GMU ......................................................................................................................... 139 Lower Kootenai River
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