BRTU E-News
Because there's more to fishin' than just fishin'!
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December 14, 2020
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Frankenfish and Wild Trout.
Most know that Salmo salar is the nomenclature given to Atlantic salmon by Carl Linnaeus himself in 1758. There is some dispute if salar denotes "the leaper" or a somewhat less exciting "salt-water."
Nevertheless, this most regal of salmonids and the fishing for it are the subject of countless books, stories, and wonderful "beats" in the UK, Canadian maritime provinces, New England, Iceland and Scandinavia. Atlantic salmon flies are themselves a particular form of angling lore, history and beauty. Many of us have dreamed of fishing the River Tay, the River Spey or the Cascapedia River, and a few very lucky ones among us have actually gone.
As is the case with so many other treasured fish, habitat destruction, development, pollution and overfishing have decimated most of the fisheries. In addition, Atlantic salmon adapt very well to aquaculture, and have been farmed around the world. As a result, it is not uncommon to find Atlantic salmon on offer in the market. Although aquaculture has put the delicious fish in reach of many, it is not without hazard.
Another story from the Guardian relates efforts to raise Atlantic salmon in indoor aquaculture in Maine - an example is shown in the other photo. Historically, Maine had legendary runs of Salmo salar, but pollution from pulp mills and dams extinguished most of them, although some very modest success in restoration has now occurred.
I hope that these stories will cause BRTU E-News readers to reflect on how fortunate we are in Montana, and especially here in the Bitterroot. We have wild and native trout in healthy habitats and can enjoy fishing for them. But, as has been amply demonstrated by aquatic invasive species like whirling disease and PKD as well as by mine waste spills and development, these apparently robust trout fisheries are really very fragile and precarious. We should not take them for granted.
So, when you do your holiday shopping, perhaps you will consider spending some of those ducats on a gift for the trout. Make a donation to Bitterroot TU or Montana TU. The fish can't speak for themselves, but I am pretty sure they won't mind if say thank you for them.
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Retiring friends.
Recent months have seen the retirement of several noteworthy individuals who have been stalwart friends of the environment and the rivers, and by extension the trout.
Jim Jensen (in the top photo) retired as the long-time Executive Director of the Montana Environmental Information Center or MEIC. If you were going to be in a fight over a mine or some other ill-conceived development project, you wanted to have Jim and MEIC as a partner, as Montana TU has many times over the decades. You could be sure they would have the most complete and best researched information, the most penetrating arguments and a pitbull like tenacity. The MEIC lobbyists have illuminated the shenanigans at the Montana legislature, mercilessly skewering scofflaw solons and politicos in a totally bipartisan manner. Jim was Executive Director since 1985, and although he will be missed, Ann Hedges and her colleagues will carry on in fine form. And if you don't receive the MEIC newsletter, Down To Earth, I would urge you to take a look at it.
The other retirements I would like to note are those of Michael and Victoria Howells (also pictured above), who started the Bitterroot Star in 1985 and have run it ever since. This weekly paper has consistently been a paradigm of what a small town paper should be. But in addition to covering all the local issues like unending machinations of the Stevensville City government, Michael has done amazing in-depth features and articles on topics too numerous to mention. Of particular note were his extensive coverage of the Mitchell Slough controversy and the efforts of the Bitterroot Protective Association (BPA) to force access on that perennial stream. The number of articles Michael wrote on this topic over the years is legion, but here is one example. Michael and the BPA, along with BRTU and other organizations, also spearheaded efforts to secure funds from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for long term water quality monitoring in the Bitterroot. The Howells sold the paper to Jesse and Sasha Mullen who own a book store in Deer Lodge and also newspapers in Deer Lodge and Philipsburg. The Mullens promptly hired Michael as a freelance writer for the Star, so this augurs well for the future of small town journalism in the valley.
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This week's picture is from the scientific journal Nature.
It is very obviously a photo of Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park which erupts about 20 times a day to the delight of city slickers and inebriated snowmobile pilots.
The Nature story describes a research study that examined the question of how faithful is this iconic feature. The answer is that at times Old Faithful has faltered! Studies of fossilized wood near the geyser pit have been dated around the 13th or 14th century, meaning that trees must have been growing right next to where the geyser now prevents any vegetation growth. This time frame correlates with a period of profound drought in the area, leading the scientists to postulate that the lack of water dried the geyser up for a time.
The suggestion is that drastic changes in climate might disrupt Old Faithful and other geyser features, and speculates that a warming climate and drier conditions might lead to a slowdown.
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This week's BRTU Puzzler was submitted by Lolo resident Seth Cooley.
Seth was out for a stroll about 10 days ago and came across this set of tracks in the snow. You can gauge the size of the tracks by comparing them to Seth's shoes which are not a dainty size 6!
This is a two-part puzzler. First, provide the common name and binomial designation of the quadruped that left the tracks in the snow. Next, identify the location where Seth encountered the tracks from these 4 options:
- the trail that parallels Lolo Creek upstream from Traveler's Rest State Park
- the trail to the Bear Creek Overlook
- a logging road near Coram, Montana
- the trail up the East Fork, just past Clifford Creek
Send your entries to BRTU Puzzlemaster Marshall Bloom. If you are the first person to correctly answer both questions, you will be the winner of the BRTU Puzzler.
Chuck Stranahan has generously offered a prize to all winners of the BRTU Puzzler. The winner will be able to can claim a prize of hand-tied trout flies by contacting Chuck.
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Monte Dolack BRTU prints
now available at Joe's Studio.
A small number of Publisher's Proofs of the limited edition "Bitterroot River-Lost Horse Bend" by Monte Dolack are now available at Joe's Studio. BRTU commissioned Monte Dolack in 2007 to create this iconic print of the Bitterroot River.
The remaining Publisher's Proofs are $375 and all proceeds support BRTU efforts to protect trout and streams.
Joe's Studio, a regular sponsor of our banquets, is located in Hamilton at 220 Marcus Street (961-4586, joesstudio@aol.com)
The "U" in BRTU
Unlike many groups, BTRU has no paid staff. We are an entirely volunteer organization. We are always looking for new members to get involved in projects or to join our board and assist with maintaining our focus on native fish, clean healthy streams and education. If you would like to help out, please contact BRTU Chapter President Jeremy Anderson. We could sure use your help!
In other words, how about putting a little "U" in BRTU?
If "U" are not already a member, "U" can join TU today by going to the the BRTU website. chapter number is #080. If you have a question about your membership, please call Clayton at 406-543-0054.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BRTU board meetings are now being held virtually on ZOOM. They are open to all BRTU members. Date and time vary, so please contact Jeremy. if you would like to log in and learn what is going on.
The BRTU Mission statement is "To conserve, protect, and restore the Bitterroot River and it's watershed," directly in line with the Montana TU mission statement.
For your information, here is a tabulation of our current hard-working BRTU officers and board members.
BOARD OFFICERS
BOARD MEMBERS
Gavin Marston (student board member)
GENERAL FACTOTUM AND NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER
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