When it listed bulltrout as a threatened species
recently (HCN, 6/22/98), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also
announced that westslope cutthroat trout deserved study for
possible protection. The move was pushed by six conservation groups
– American Wildlands, Madison Gallatin Chapter of Trout Unlimited,
Idaho Watersheds Project, Montana Environmental Information Center,
Clearwater Biodiversity Project and Pacific Rivers Council. They
sued the Fish and Wildlife Service after it delayed a mandatory
90-day finding on their petition for more than six months. The
groups were joined by flyfisherman Bud Lilly, who helped show that
cutthroat habitat in parts of Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and
Washington has been reduced to as little as 8 percent of its former
area. Jon Marvel of the Idaho Watershed Project says livestock
grazing, irrigation, mining and logging are to blame for the
degraded habitat. To request the petition, call Rob Ament of
American Wildlands at 406/586-8175, or Doug Honnold of Earthjustice
Legal Defense Fund at 406/586-9699, and to send comments for the
study on the cutthroat trout by Aug. 10, write: Chief, Branch of
Native Fishes Management, Montana Fish and Wildlife Management
Assistance Office, 4052 Bridger Canyon Road, Bozeman, MT 59715.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Justice for the cutthroat.
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