Westslope Cutthroat Restoration Seeing Success

KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) — A Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks official says a decade-long program to restore Montana's state fish to a chain of 21 alpine lakes above the South Fork Flathead River drainage is showing good results.

Jim Vashro tells the Missoulian that entering the sixth year of the Westslope Cutthroat Trout Conservation project some of the lakes are showing natural reproduction and anglers are reporting good fishing.

Some of the lakes have been poisoned to kill non-native fish and then stocked with cutthroats. Others have been densely stocked each year with genetically pure trout to try to get rid of hybrid populations.

Officials say westslope cutthroat trout occur in just 9 percent of their historic range.

The restoration program is being paid for by the Bonneville Power Administration.