Glacier National Park Fisheries Monitoring and Management, Program Report 2014

Downs, Christopher; Fredenberg, Carter; Mckeon, Brian; D'Angelo, Vin; Muhlfeld, C

Projects: 1. Quartz Lake Trout Suppression - enhance Bull trout population through removal of non-native lake trout; removed a total of 1,640 lake trout. Lake trout gill net catches declined in 2014, suggesting lake trout abundance in Quartz Lake is declining. A record bull trout redd count was observed 2. Grace Lake Translocation - bull trout conservation measure. In 2014, NPS and USGS staff began translocating juvenile bull trout from Logging Creek to the upstream waters of the Grace Lake system where lake trout are unable to colonize due to a barrier falls between the lakes. Over 100 juvenile bull trout were translocated in 2014. 3. Native Fish Population Monitoring -monitoring program for native salmonids inhabiting park streams began in 2009. The intent of the program is to establish baseline abundance levels in a variety of park waters to serve as useful benchmarks for monitoring changes in populations over time. We continued this work through 2014, conducting sampling in seven waterbodies. We conducted electrofishing depletion removals on Fern (Middle Fork Flathead drainage), McGee (North Fork Flathead drainage), Un-named tributary to Camas Creek (North Fork Flathead drainage), and Lee (St. Mary drainage) creeks; snorkel surveys on Muir (Middle Fork Flathead drainage) and Akokala (North Fork Flathead drainage) creeks, and live trap netting in Cracker Lake (St. Mary drainage). We noted presence or absence along with relative abundance of amphibians in our surveys. In general, the largest threat currently facing migratory native fish species on the east side of the park is the unscreened St. Mary River irrigation diversion near Babb, part of the Milk River Irrigation Project. Other threats include non-native species (walleye) found in the St. Mary River downstream of the U.S./Canada border. The most significant threat to native fish on the west side of the park comes from invasive non-native species, such as rainbow, brook, and lake trout. Some culverts along the Camas Road on the west side of the park may be important isolating mechanisms, protecting genetically pure westslope cutthroat from downstream populations of hybrid westslope cutthroat-rainbow trout. However, management and conservation of native fish in the North and Middle forks Flathead River remains complicated due to the presence of migratory and resident populations of native salmonids, and expanding distribution of non-native fish species. 4. Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention and Monitoring - continued to implement a program of mandatory boat inspection and launch permitting for all non-hand powered boats entering GNP as well as a AIS self-certification program for all hand-powered watercraft. 5. Glacier NP Bull Trout Redd Counts - conducted bull trout redd counts in 17 streams/stream reaches in Glacier National Park in 2014. Seven streams/stream reaches were surveyed in the N. Fk. Flathead River drainage, 4 were surveyed in the MF Flathead River drainage, and three were surveyed in the St. Mary River drainage. We counted a total of 259 redds across the park. Quartz Lake remains the strongest monitored bull trout population residing wholly within the park, with a total of 66 redds. 2014 redd counts for Flathead Lake migratory bull trout populations spawning in the Middle Fork Flathead River tributaries in the park were mixed compared to long-term averages. Boulder and Kennedy creeks had strong, above average counts. In general, bull trout populations in west-side park lakes continue to show very low escapement levels, reflecting the adverse impacts of non-native lake trout on native fish populations. Some bull trout populations on the east side of the park continue to be adversely impacted by operational issues associated with Sherburne Dam and the St. Mary Irrigation Canal.