The U.S. Fish & Wildlife service has released a draft proposal for conservation efforts on a population of arctic grayling at a wildlife refuge near Yellowstone.
The spawning population of arctic grayling in the Centennial Valley and Red Rock Lakes refuge is at an all time low. As one of Montana’s two remaining indigenous arctic grayling populations, it’s a high priority for conservation.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has identified a lack of suitable winter habitat in Upper Red Rock Lake as the likely primary cause of population decline, and released a draft environmental assessment that proposes six possible ways to introduce more oxygen to the water where the fish spend the winter as a solution to this problem.
The proposal only deals with the Centennial Valley population, based on the recommendations of the Montana Arctic Grayling Working Group, a collaboration of local & federal government agencies and NGOs that proposes implementing grayling conservation efforts on an individual basis for the state’s different populations.
In January, a Butte resident and several conservation groups filed suit against the Fish & Wildlife service over their decision not to list the grayling for protection under the Endangered Species Act.
Emily Qiu, an attorney for Earthjustice representing plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said in a statement to MTPR they applauded the conservation efforts for the Red Rock Lakes’ population but that they amounted to a “piecemeal” approach and a more comprehensive strategy under the Endangered Species Act was required.
USFWS declined to comment on active litigation.
Public comment on the draft environmental assessment for the plan dealing with arctic grayling at the Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge will be open until March 14th.
