Yellowstone Park Foundation
Upper Yellowstone Fisheries Assessment 2004
PROJECT NUMBER 2003-0208-002
NFWF & JHOF Partnership: $22,000
Local Match: $40,053
The Yellowstone Park Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, was established
in 1996 by a group of concerned citizens. The mission of the Yellowstone
Park Foundation is to support projects and programs that protect,
preserve, and enhance Yellowstone National Park. The Foundation receives
no annual government funding but relies solely on the generosity of
individuals, corporations, and foundations like NFWF and JHOF to support
initiatives that are beyond the financial capacity of the National Park
Service. The Yellowstone Park Foundation raises money for projects and
programs and since it's creation, approximately 14,000 individuals,
foundations, and corporations have committed funds to support more than
85 projects and programs that benefit Yellowstone National Park.
The Jackson Hole One Fly Foundation - National Fish & Wildlife
Foundation Conservation Partnership Program is funding this project to
collect data on Yellowstone cutthroat trout population in Upper
Yellowstone
River.
The Yellowstone cutthroat trout population is in a decline and a
majority of its historic habitat has been lost. No systematic inventory
has been conducted Yellowstone River upstream of the Yellowstone
National Park boundary. By conducting spawning surveys, tagging and
tracking, coordinating macro invertebrate sampling, habitat assessment,
stream discharge and temperature measurements, biologists will gain
needed knowledge of the life history and status of this declining
species.
Project Status:
Since work on the Upper Yellowstone River Fisheries Assessment began in
2003, Park biologists have been capturing and implanting radio tags in
Yellowstone cutthroat trout found in the Upper Yellowstone drainage.
They have tracked the movement of tagged fish through aircraft and
ground surveys. Work is also ongoing to assess the area's spawning
population, estimate population abundance, and conduct fish health
surveys as well as genetics integrity analyses. Biologists have also
begun and will continue to assess fish habitat and monitor stream
temperatures. The Park hopes to conclude this research by October 2005
and begin writing a project summary report that will be completed in
December 2005.
For more information, contact: Lisa Diekmann,
ldiekmann@ypf.org,
406-586-6303.
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