[MattDog]

Just curious if anyone has heard of or read the draft proposal that was recently written up about management of fisheries in lakes in the North Cascades? I have just started reading the draft right now, (two volumes in total), and it is quite interesting in what they are proposing. A link is below if you are interested. Mountain Lakes Fishery Management Plan Matt

[greg]

The plan has been issued and the park is seeking comment: May 26, 2005 For Immediate Release National Park Service Invites Public Comments on the Draft North Cascades Mountain Lakes Fishery Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement The National Park Service (NPS) in cooperation with Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has prepared a draft Mountain Lakes Fishery Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (Plan/EIS). The Plan/EIS evaluates four alternatives for managing non-native fish in the natural lakes in the North Cascades National Park Service Complex and the Stephen Mather Wilderness. NPS Superintendent Bill Paleck, in starting the 90-day public comment period, said that, “This draft brings us and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife closer than ever to an agreement on the long-term management of fish in much of the park complex. We hope interested members of the public will study the plan and EIS and contribute their ideas and expertise.” The final plan will govern all fishery management actions in the natural lakes of the park complex, including removal of reproducing populations of non-native fish and fish stocking. The park complex includes North Cascades National Park and Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas. Congress has also designated about 93% of the park complex as the Stephen Mather Wilderness. The 90-day public comment period begins May 27, 2005, and ends August 24, 2005. The goal of the comment period is for the NPS and the WDFW to learn if individuals, groups, and agencies feel that the draft Plan/EIS adequately addresses environmental issues and if the overall analysis is accurate and thorough. There will be four public meetings the week of July 25, 2005, for oral comment (details forthcoming). - more- You can review the Plan/EIS on-line at the NPS Planning Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website (http://parkplanning.nps.gov/noca). Click on the “Mountain Lakes Fishery Management Plan/EIS” link. The complete Plan/EIS is available there, and you can submit your comments on line using the website. If you would prefer to have a paper or CD copy of the Plan/EIS, call the park at 360-856-5700 extension 351 or write to the Superintendent at the address below. If you would prefer to send written comments other than electronically, fax them to 360-856-1934 or mail them to: Superintendent William F. Paleck ATTN: Draft Mountain Lakes Fishery Management Plan/EIS North Cascades National Park Service Complex 810 State Route 20 Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284 The draft Plan/EIS presents and analyzes four alternatives. The decision-making process now underway will lead to one alternative becoming the final “Mountain Lakes Fishery Management Plan,” which will guide future actions for the next 15 years. In summary, the four alternatives are: Alternative A - The “No Action” alternative, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act, is the existing approach to managing the natural lakes fishery in the park complex under an agreement with WDFW which allows stocking of certain lakes. Continuation of this approach would require clarification from Congress on the appropriateness of continued fish stocking as would alternatives B and C. Alternative B – The “Agency Preferred Alternative” would implement an adaptive management approach allowing continued stocking of certain lakes with non-reproducing trout stocked at low densities to provide continued fishing opportunities. Reproducing populations of introduced trout would be removed from all lakes where feasible. Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of management actions would allow adaptation for improved effectiveness in conserving biological integrity. Alternative C– This alternative would be similar to B in approach, maintaining a mountain lakes sports fishery in Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas but discontinuing stocking and also removing reproducing populations of introduced trout in North Cascades National Park. Alternative D– The “Environmentally Preferred Alternative” would discontinue fish stocking in all mountain lakes in the North Cascades National Park Service Complex. This alternative would establish a long-term goal of removing, wherever feasible, reproducing populations of non-native trout. Background information on mountain lakes fishery management in North Cascades including history and scientific research is at www.nps.gov/noca/highlakes.htm. -NPS-