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