Brook trout have become established in the Quirk Creek watershed, raising concern about native, Threatened westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout. Several partners established the brook trout...
Description
Brook trout have become established in the Quirk Creek watershed, raising concern about native, Threatened westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout. Several partners established the brook trout suppression project, running from 1998 to 2015, to test the efficacy of selective harvest in controlling brook trout and promoting recovery of the threatened trout. Westslope cutthroat trout recruitment was negatively affected by brook trout; native trout have not recovered despite the suppression of brook trout. This report explores several potential mechanisms to explain the lack of recovery and provides recommendations for management of this fishery.