PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Federal biologists have released the first of more than 1,000 bull trout into Oregon’s upper Clackamas River. It’s the start of a 20-year effort to reintroduce the threatened fish nearly 50 years after they disappeared due to overfishing, habitat degradation and fish passage barriers.
The Oregonian says some folks worry that the river’s steelhead and salmon runs aren’t yet strong enough to withstand the aggressive bull trout, which could eat the more highly prized fish. So federal biologists plan to closely monitor the trout’s impact — possibly even removing the bull trout if they munch too many salmon and steelhead.
If the project succeeds, it could re-establish the original predator-prey balance in the Clackamas ecosystem, similar to success stories on Oregon’s Metolius and McKenzie rivers.
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Information from: The Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com
