Livngston Enterprise Whitefish Kill Again August 23
BILLINGS, Mont. – Montana wildlife officials indefinitely airtight a 183-mile stretch of the Yellowstone River and hundreds of miles of other waterways Friday, disallowment all line-fishing, rafting and other activities to prevent the spread of a parasite believed to have killed tens of thousands of fish.
Fishing guides and rafting operators who run businesses forth the river said the move could be catastrophic to the area's sizable outdoor industry, which depends heavily on the busy summer flavor.
The closure could last for months if river atmospheric condition don't improve and fish keep dying, co-ordinate to officials from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. It extends to hundreds of miles of waterways that feed into the Yellowstone, including the Boulder, Shields and Stillwater rivers.
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Even when the river reopens, in that location are fears the fish die-off could deal a lasting accident to the Yellowstone's reputation as a globe-class trout fishery that draws visitors from effectually the world.
By Friday, roughly 4,000 dead fish had been counted, merely the total number is estimated to be in the tens of thousands, including fish that sank to the bottom, officials said.
Most have been mount whitefish, a native game species, merely reports emerged that the die-off has afflicted some rainbow trout and Yellowstone cutthroat trout – species crucial to the fishing industry.
No dead fish were found within Yellowstone National Park, where a celebration of the National Park Service's 100th ceremony is set for side by side week. Officials said they had no plans to close waters within the park.
The closure on the Montana portion of the river aims to end the spread of the parasite, which causes fish to contract a fatal kidney disease, every bit well as protect the fishery and the outdoor economy it sustains, officials said.
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The disease was previously documented but twice in the state over the by 20 years but more recent outbreaks have occurred in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
The parasite does not pose a health adventure to people.
Low water levels and warm temperatures are making the problem worse by calculation to the stresses faced by cold-water species such as trout and whitefish, officials said. In other rivers, outbreaks of the illness persisted until water temperatures dropped months later.
On the Yellowstone, line-fishing, wading, floating, boating and other activities are banned until further notice. Numerous fly fishing outfitters and rafting companies operate in the closed stretch of river, which extends from Yellowstone National Park's northern purlieus to the city of Laurel, along with all tributaries in those areas.
Fishing guide Dan Gigone, who owns the Sweetwater Wing Shop in Livingston, said one of his guides reported seeing hundreds of dead fish, including some trout, in the river Th. Gigone chosen the closure catastrophic only said he would not fight it.
"We have trips on the books through September," Gigone said. "It's definitely a big part of the Livingston and area economy. Just we need to protect the resource every bit all-time we can for future years."
Yellowstone Raft Co. owner Robin Trotter said she had started calling hundreds of customers with reservations in coming weeks to let them know their trips could be cancelled.
Fish, Wildlife and Parks Director Jeff Hagener said the agency had to balance economical consequences with the adventure to the fishery, given that recreational activities disturb fish and exacerbate the effects of the illness.
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The parasite is non native to the area, meaning it was introduced by people via a contaminated gunkhole, fishing waders or other means – or possibly by birds that transported it from another waterway, officials said.
The wildlife agency fix up two decontamination stations to effort to reduce the chance of equipment spreading the parasite to other rivers. The agency urged the public to clean equipment properly before moving between bodies of water.
"There's not a lot known about how this moves through the environment," said Dan Garren of Idaho Fish and Game who dealt with a 2012 whitefish dice-off blamed on the parasite. "Information technology'due south easy to overlook a dead whitefish. It's true for biologists, it'south true for anglers. They don't carry the aforementioned weight as trout."
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Source: https://globalnews.ca/news/2898018/183-miles-of-yellowstone-river-closed-after-parasite-kills-tens-of-thousands-of-fish/
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