Western Native Trout Initiative

Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Directors Endorse the Western Native Trout Initiative

January 28, 2008 - Denver, CO - The assembled Directors of western State Fish and Wildlife Agencies endorsed the Strategic Plan and future operations of the Western Native Trout Initiative at their recent winter meeting in San Diego earlier this month.

Trout Creek is one of four isolated redband trout streams north of the McCloud River on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Increased OHV use within Trout Creek Campground has resulted in degradation of redband trout and riparian habitats. The Western Native Trout Initiative has provided $29,849 to improve habitat for redband trout, stabilize eroding banks, and mitigate OHV impacts on the lower perennial reach of Trout Creek within Trout Creek Campground.

Twelve western state fisheries agencies and four federal agencies came together in 2005 and began to collectively address protecting and restoring native western trout. Working in conjunction with the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, this group formed a partnership called the Western Native Trout Initiative (WNTI), This new initiative hopes to incorporate the best aspects of other partnerships that are successfully restoring waterfowl, sage-grouse, and Eastern brook trout. The WNTI is one of several pilot partnerships developed concurrently with the National Fish Habitat Initiative (NFHI) and the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP). One of the requirements of being recognized as a NFHAP Partnership is that the Partnership requires a Strategic Plan that outlines achievable and measurable Goals and Objectives. This issue of the WNTI Newsletter discusses the background and process that will be used to develop the WNTI Strategic Plan. Future newsletters will be part of the WNTI communication and outreach effort to keep individuals and potential WNTI partners informed.