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