Draft Management Plan for Conservation of Westslope

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Draft Management Plan for Conservation of Westslope Management Plan for Conservation of Westslope Cutthroat Trout in Idaho Idaho Department of Fish and Game Fisheries Bureau Boise, Idaho TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 1 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................................... 1 Goals ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 Objectives ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Distribution ............................................................................................................................................. 1 Taxonomy ............................................................................................................................................... 2 Morphometrics ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Life History and Ecology ......................................................................................................................... 4 Habitat Requirements ............................................................................................................................ 4 Feeding Habits ........................................................................................................................................ 5 Biotic Interactions .................................................................................................................................. 5 Population Viability ................................................................................................................................ 6 Management Status ............................................................................................................................... 6 Regulatory Mechanisms ......................................................................................................................... 6 GEOGRAPHIC MANAGEMENT UNITS ............................................................................................................ 7 North Idaho River Basins ........................................................................................................................ 7 Moyie River GMU ............................................................................................................................. 7 Lower Kootenai River GMU ........................................................................................................... 14 Priest River/Lakes GMU ................................................................................................................. 18 Pend Oreille/Clark Fork GMU ........................................................................................................ 22 Upper Spokane River GMU ............................................................................................................ 32 Coeur d’Alene Basin GMU ............................................................................................................. 34 Clearwater River Basins ........................................................................................................................ 44 Lower and Upper North Fork Clearwater River GMU .................................................................... 44 Clearwater and Middle Fork Clearwater GMU .............................................................................. 54 Lochsa River GMU .......................................................................................................................... 58 Lower and Upper Selway River GMU ............................................................................................. 62 South Fork Clearwater River GMU ................................................................................................. 70 Salmon River Basin ............................................................................................................................... 74 Lemhi River GMU ........................................................................................................................... 74 i TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Pahsimeroi River GMU ................................................................................................................... 79 Upper Salmon River GMU .............................................................................................................. 84 Middle Salmon River-Panther Creek GMU .................................................................................... 90 Middle Fork Salmon River GMU .................................................................................................... 96 South Fork Salmon River GMU .................................................................................................... 108 Middle Salmon River-Chamberlain Creek GMU .......................................................................... 115 Little Salmon River GMU .............................................................................................................. 118 Lower Salmon River GMU ............................................................................................................ 120 FACTORS AFFECTING THE STATUS OF WCT .............................................................................................. 122 Habitat Degradation and Fragmentation ........................................................................................... 122 Habitat Quality ............................................................................................................................. 123 Non-native Species ............................................................................................................................. 123 Fish Stocking ................................................................................................................................ 123 Presence of Other Fish Species .................................................................................................... 126 Genetic Introgression ......................................................................................................................... 128 Exploitation......................................................................................................................................... 128 Water Quality ..................................................................................................................................... 129 Climate Change ................................................................................................................................... 130 Population Trends and Extinction Risk ............................................................................................... 131 Fishing Rules ....................................................................................................................................... 132 Fish Stocking ....................................................................................................................................... 132 Restoring Connectivity ....................................................................................................................... 132 Genetic Considerations in Management and Conservation .............................................................. 133 General Management Actions ............................................................................................................ 134 Management Priorities and Actions ................................................................................................... 136 PROPOSED CONSERVATION ACTIONS FOR WCT BY GMU ........................................................................ 137 North Idaho River Basins .................................................................................................................... 137 Moyie River GMU ......................................................................................................................... 137 Lower Kootenai River GMU ......................................................................................................... 138 Priest River-Lakes GMU ............................................................................................................... 138 Pend Oreille/Clark Fork GMU ...................................................................................................... 140 Upper Spokane River GMU .......................................................................................................... 142 Coeur d’Alene Basin GMU ........................................................................................................... 142 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Clearwater River Basin ....................................................................................................................... 146 Lower and Upper North Fork Clearwater GMU ........................................................................... 146 Clearwater and Middle
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