Fishy business afoot in Washington State, as various agencies look to give the bull trout a new lease on life by introducing the species into Sullivan Lake and Harvey Creek. The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), in tandem with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Kalispel Tribe Natural Resources Department, has set sights on these waters near Metaline Falls in Pend Oreille County to play host to the threatened fish.
The idea came to fruition after an extensive analysis that kicked off in 2017, focusing on the potential to restore the bull trout in the Lower Pend Oreille River watershed. Sullivan Lake and Harvey Creek, its feeding tributary, stood out as prime candidates for this ecological restoration project. "With the lake’s cold, clean water, suitable spawning tributary, lack of nonnative competitors and abundant forage, we believe this introduction will be successful and could be the first step in local recovery for bull trout," said Chris Donley, WDFW Region 1 Fish Program manager.
This isn't just about tossing a species into a new swimming pool and calling it a day. The ultimate goal here is to establish a self-sustaining population of bull trout that could become the cornerstone for future conservation efforts within the entire basin. It's a play straight out of the USFWS’s bull trout recovery plan playbook, aiming to turn around the fortunes of these finned creatures.
Restoring the bull trout is serious business, involving stakeholders across the board. "The recovery of bull trout within the basin is identified as a key action in the USFWS’s bull trout recovery plan," declared Brad Thompson, state supervisor with USFWS. He hailed the cooperation between federal, state and, tribal parties as a big win for conservation, "The recovery of threatened and endangered wildlife requires many partners, and I'm encouraged by the strong collaboration of federal, state, and tribal partners on this project." This effort could one day see bull trout numbers bouncing back to healthier levels, once again swimming freely in the waters of the Lower Pend Oreille.
