Dr. Richard N. Williams
Chair, Native Fish Policy
Committee, and
Vice
President, Conservation
Federation of Fly Fishers
Western Rocky Mountain
Council
The Federation of Fly
Fishers notes that throughout North America native fish populations have
declined from historical levels, particularly over the last century or more,
due to the cumulative effects of overharvest, water management, past fisheries
management practices, agricultural, forestry, and mining, and other land use
practices, habitat alteration or degradation, and the widespread introduction
of non-native fish species. Today, the
goal of many fisheries management agencies and programs is to preserve or
restore native fish species to some portion of their historical native
range. These goals have been driven by
the legal mandates of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in part and by the
increased value that anglers, fisheries managers, conservation organizations,
and other concerned citizens recently have placed on native fishes in native
habitats.
The Federation of Fly
Fishers' native fish restoration policy herein sets forth clear principles to
enable our members, clubs, and councils to speak with a consistent voice
regarding proposals to restore endemic fish populations to historical habitat.
A growing number of proposed restoration projects for game and non-game species
challenge our ethics as sport anglers when we must choose between a popular
exotic sport fishery and a conflicting imperative to restore native fish or
amphibians. The policy recognizes that many proposed restoration projects are
controversial among the angling community. It also recognizes that flexibility
is required to handle a wide range of restoration settings and species.
Most importantly, a strong
native fish restoration policy maintains and enhances the FFF's moral authority
to question and fight assaults on the aquatic environments we treasure. It
affirms our support for the Endangered Species Act and all its tools for
protecting vital habitat.
1. FFF supports fisheries management policies and practices that
recognize the value of native species, including native fishes in native
habitats, and does not support management policies that threaten native species
with degradation or extinction.
Similarly, FFF does not support the stocking of non-native fish into
waters where they can interact genetically or ecologically with native fish
species[1].
2. FFF recognizes the
intrinsic value of native fish species and their aquatic communities.
FFF supports management
policies and practices that promote conservation management and restoration of
self-sustaining populations of native fish and other native aquatic
species. A tremendous recreational
value to flyfishers is lost when these many species are no longer available in
population densities capable of supporting a sustained fishery.
3. FFF recognizes that many native fish species, particularly
salmonids, are remarkable for the diversity they display in their behavioral,
ecological, and genetic characteristics.
The biological diversity found within various fish species arose as a
response to the habitat diversity they encountered in the landscape where they
lived and evolved. The ecological
community where they evolved, which included their predators and prey, and the
fishes with which they competed, also shaped the diversity we observe in fish
species today. Human activities over
the last several centuries have dramatically altered aquatic ecosystems and
reduced aquatic habitat diversity and biological diversity within native fish
species.
FFF supports management
programs and actions that promote the restoration of diverse habitats used by
native fish species. Where native fish
exist in or are reintroduced to these diverse habitats, a corresponding
increase in life history diversity within the population is likely to occur, as
adaptation and evolution are continuing processes. Increases in abundance, age class diversity, and life history
diversity within a population leads to resilience, which in turn fosters a
self-sustaining population.
4. FFF is concerned about
the continued erosion of the genetic integrity of existing native fish
populations and supports management decisions that place the protection of
existing native populations as a first priority. FFF supports careful stream censuses of fish diversity to locate
genetically intact native fish populations and supports management decisions
and actions that ensure these populations are preserved in perpetuity and
isolated from non-native species.
5. FFF supports the establishment of native fish sanctuaries or
refuges where clusters of genetically intact native fish populations or
assemblages of native fish species occur.
A system of wild fish refuges throughout the country would act as an
insurance policy for fisheries managers by providing non-introgressed native
fish populations that could be used for transplants, reintroductions, or other
recovery efforts.
As an initial step, existing de facto refuges, such as the John Day
subbasin (Columbia River) for native spring chinook, summer steelhead, and bull
trout and Idaho’s Middle Fork of the Salmon River for spring and summer
chinook, summer steelhead, and westslope cutthroat trout, should be
identified. Systematic surveys of
native fish populations are likely to identify other candidate species and
refuges areas. FFF should urge federal,
state, and tribal resource managers to provide formal recognition and protection
for these important populations and their refuges areas.
6. FFF supports an approach to native fish species restoration that
is focused on habitat and watershed protection and involves the restoration of
the natural ecological processes that shape the native fish species’
evolution. This approach is consistent
with only a limited role, if any, for artificial production in the restoration
of native fish species. The FFF
approach relies on habitat restoration, control of non-native fish species, and
reintroduction of native species into habitats where they have been
extirpated.
7. FFF supports a goal of
recovering native fish species into at least a portion of their previously
occupied ranges. At the population
level, the recovery goal is to achieve a viable fishery of native fish in their
native streams. For some populations or
species, this may require the removal of introduced non-natives from specific
streams and the subsequent transplanting of native fish from nearby remnant
populations. In cases where transplantation from adjacent stocks is not
feasible, such as occurred with the Colorado Greenback cutthroat trout and the
Montana fluvial grayling, recovery programs may need to utilize artificial
production from remnant stocks to achieve recovery objectives. Where implemented, such programs should be
of limited duration until adequate replicate populations have become
established in natural habitats.
This approach, the
restoration of native fish species into at least a portion of their previously
occupied ranges, should be used judiciously and will be most useful in
recovering critically depressed stocks, such as ESA-listed threatened or
endangered stocks, as well as fish designated by individual states and the
American Fisheries Society as "sensitive" that are not officially
"listed" under the ESA.
Examples of these include many of the cutthroat trout subspecies:
Yellowstone, westslope, Bonneville, Colorado, and Rio Grande. The approach should not be construed as an
unwavering policy to eliminate all non-native fish everywhere; rather, it is
one of several tools that can be used to reestablish viable populations of
native fish species in their native habitats.
In most cases, these programs or actions likely would be site-specific
or species-specific and would require careful consideration by regional
biologists and fish managers as to the likely success of the transplantation
effort.
8. FFF recognizes the impact that non-native fish introductions have
had on native fishes and opposes any unauthorized introductions or transplants
of fish species into aquatic systems.
For example, the widespread stocking of hatchery rainbow trout has
impacted populations of interior redband trout, nearly all interior cutthroat
trout subspecies, and eastern brook trout.
Conversely, introductions of brook trout in many western watersheds
presently jeopardize continued existence of many bull trout populations. Similarly, transplants of native and
non-native fish into previously fishless systems (or above natural fish
barriers) have severely impacted indigenous amphibian diversity.
9. FFF recognizes the responsibility anglers have to avoid spreading
diseases (such as whirling disease) and non-indigenous species (such as
invasive snails or plants like Eurasian milfoil) from watershed to
watershed. Anglers should take care to
wash their fishing equipment (waders, boots, float tubes, boats, and trailers)
before moving from one watershed to another.
10. FFF recognizes that sustained management of
many native fish species will require restrictive fishing regulations
(including a total closure of the fishery if warranted), such as barbless
hooks, slot limits, or catch-and-release angling, to avoid mortality rates that
will adversely affect population structure and spawning escapement
numbers. For this reason, FFF supports
catch-and release angling for native species as an important component of
sustainable management[2].
11. FFF recognizes the importance and power of
educating FFF members, other anglers, and the general public about the value of
native fishes in our aquatic ecosystems. FFF encourages its clubs and councils
to actively engage in native fish restoration projects and programs,
particularly in ways that interact positively with fisheries agencies, the
public, and the media. FFF members are encouraged to interact with the
International Fly Fishing Center and the FFF Conservation Committee when
planning native fish restoration projects, and are likewise encouraged to
participate in such FFF native fish conservation awareness programs such as the
Project Cuttcatch.
______________________________________________________
Steelhead - FFF_Native Fish Policy
The Federation of Fly
Fishers notes that West Coast wild steelhead stocks are declining rapidly and
are at high risk of demographic extinction.
Most wild stocks are substantially below historical levels of abundance
and the wide range of genetic diversity and variability of native stocks has
been and continues to be compromised by habitat alteration, excessive harvest,
and ill-advised hatchery practices.
FFF steelhead goals are to
preserve wild steelhead genetic diversity and variability and restore wild West
Coast steelhead stocks to levels approximating historical abundance through
habitat restoration, sharp restrictions of sports harvest until wild
populations recover, phased elimination of mixed stock commercial fisheries,
modification of hatchery practices, and, in some instances, discontinuation of
hatchery supplementation.
1. FFF supports steelhead management that emphasizes self-sustaining
wild native populations. We explicitly recognize the value and integrity of
locally adapted stream/tributary specific steelhead stocks which require
careful, conservative management of these irreplaceable resources giving due
weight to their special habitat and escapement requirements.
2. FFF urges steelhead management agencies to accord the highest management
priority to wild, stream born steelhead.
Wild steelhead are at the heart of any steelhead management scheme.
3. FFF views steelhead hatchery supplementation as an admission of
management failure to provide for wild steelhead. We urge the utmost caution in
any steelhead supplementation program. Artificial propagation should not
replace or assist natural propagation of steelhead in watersheds where individual
rivers are still capable of supporting viable wild steelhead.
4. FFF supports sharp limits on angler harvest until steelhead
stocks have recovered to levels that permit harvest of specific numbers of wild
steelhead in each particular watershed. While stocks are recovering, FFF
supports catch and release and wild steelhead release regulations, which permit
recreational opportunity with minimal harm to the recovering resource.
5. FFF supports the establishment of wild native steelhead
sanctuaries or refuges throughout the North American and Asian range of the
steelhead. Refuges could be located where
clusters of genetically intact steelhead populations occur. A system of wild steelhead refuges would act
as a long-term insurance policy for fisheries managers toward future management
options and to aid recovery programs.
Saltwater
Fishes - FFF_Native Fish Policy
The Federation of Fly Fishers notes that, when compared to freshwater zones,
our coastal and deep-sea gamefish have been little impacted by introductions of
non-native gamefish. There have been
relatively few successful introduction efforts. Instead, problems for inshore, nearshore, and offshore marine
stocks are primarily related to overharvest, lost or degraded habitats,
particularly for the rearing and growth of juvenile fish, and the effects of
pollution. FFF advocates vigorous,
continued efforts in addressing these problems.
At the same time, we do not ignore the serious problems caused by the many
exotic species that have been introduced to our marine environments,
intentionally or otherwise. Where these exotic species occur, we urge their
control, if not their elimination. And we urge the most strenuous efforts to
prevent the introduction of new non-native species to our marine zones.
1. FFF supports management of saltwater gamefish that emphasizes
self-sustaining wild populations. The Federation explicitly recognizes the
value and integrity of geographical stock structure for many saltwater species,
which requires careful, conservative management of these irreplaceable
resources giving due weight to their special habitat and escapement
requirements. Catch and release regulations provide an excellent management
tool to protect vulnerable or depressed wild populations.
2. FFF supports harvest management regulations on saltwater gamefish
that ensure adequate escapement to spawning areas for each geographical
stock. The numerous recent collapses of
important long-standing fisheries, such as the Atlantic Cod fishery and the
Pacific groundfish fishery, point to the inadequacy of traditional harvest
management practices for the long-term sustainability of many commercially
important marine fish species. FFF
recognizes the value of these fisheries and supports effort to define more
conservative harvest practices that ensure adequate escapements for
spawning.
3. For severely depressed stocks, FFF supports sharp limits on
harvest (including closures) until stocks have recovered to levels that permit
harvest of specific numbers in specific locations. While stocks are recovering,
the Federation supports catch and release regulations, which permit
recreational opportunity with minimal harm to the recovering resource.
4. FFF explicitly opposes the introduction of non-native species to
our marine and anadromous fisheries.
The Federation is strong in the belief that any management program
affecting those fisheries must guard against outside contamination and
emphasizes wild, native species.
5. FFF supports the establishment of marine sanctuaries or refuges
where clusters of native fish populations or assemblages of native fish species
occur.
Warmwater
Fishes - FFF_Native Fish Policy
3. FFF supports the preservation of existing warm water habitat that has
shown to be essential for sensitive species such as smallmouth bass, and
actively supports the strict control of industrial and agricultural practices
that lead to habitat degradation and decreases in water quality. FFF supports water quality monitoring by FFF
club monitoring teams in selected warm water habitats containing sensitive
species. Early detection of water quality changes is an FFF goal.
4. The FFF advocates angler education to understanding the value of native warm
water species and the ecological reasons for their preservation, the
undesirability of unauthorized alien species releases and the need to prevent
the transmission of other exotic species such as invasive water weeds, snails
and other organisms that can radically alter the habitat of native fish.
[1] In this document, the term ‘native’ refers to indigenous species and forms, and does not include non-indigenous naturally reproducing wild fish. Fisheries management throughout most of the 20th century promoted the introduction of non-native fish species. Starting in the late 1970s, managers recognized that these efforts had produced exotic fisheries with considerable recreational value to fishers, but at great expense to many native fish species. Thus, the FFF policy, while recognizing the value of these non-native based fisheries, places greater priority on managing and rebuilding fisheries throughout the country that support native fishes in their native habitats. In this context, we treat the terms non-indigenous and exotic as synonymous with non-native.
[2] See FFF Catch and Release Policy. Catch-and-release angling incurs a low level
of mortality. Much of this mortality
can be further reduced through proper playing, handling, and releasing of
hooked fish. Anglers should use heavy
enough tackle that the fish can be landed as quickly as possible. Handle the fish as little as possible,
keeping it in the water; wet hands or net before landing the fish. Use long-nosed pliers or hemostat to back
the hook out of the entrance hole. The
use of barbless or circle hooks makes it easier to quickly unhook a fish. Hold the fish gently moving it back and
forth until it revives and swims from your hands.