BigHornRam
Well-known member
A wide array of groups is working together in a stirring effort to save the arctic grayling - and keep it from being listed as an endangered species
By PERRY BACKUS of the Missoulian
Jim Magee, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks grayling biologist, takes a look under the highway bridge over the Big Hole River near Wisdom. That portion of the river has always been considered the stronghold of the fluvial arctic grayling. As the grayling's numbers dwindled, many of those interested in the future of the fish focused their attention on water levels on this stretch of river.
WISDOM - The last remaining population of native river-dwelling arctic grayling is struggling in its final stronghold in the Big Hole River.
But that's not news.
What is new is an unprecedented effort by landowners to work side by side with state and federal officials to do something to turn the situation around starting this summer.
Fluvial arctic grayling were once abundant in the entire upper Missouri River drainage. Introductions of nonnative species, overfishing and changes in habitat have pushed the fish known for its large dorsal fin out of every river and stream except the upper reaches of the Big Hole River drainage.
Years of drought have recently cut even more into their numbers.
People started to fret about the potential of losing this part of Montana's heritage back in 1989, when the grayling's numbers dipped to 22 per mile. In 2002, after several years of low water, biologists couldn't find enough fish to make an estimate.
In a place where cowboy hats are the norm and distrust of government runs generations deep, the potential of the grayling finding its way onto the federal endangered species list has opened the door for a new way of solving problems.
State and federal folks have spread out across the upper Big Hole Valley to talk about the potential for conservation projects on private land.
They've been met with open arms.
So far, 39 landowners who control nearly 210,000 acres have signed on to a proposal to work under a federal program with a long-winded name.
If everyone is able to work their way through the complicated process to establish a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances, or CCAA, ranchers and government types could start putting together long-term conservation plans that will protect riparian habitat, put more water in streams and maybe jump-start the grayling's recovery.
In return, ranchers get some peace of mind, knowing they'll be somewhat protected should a judge decide the grayling belongs on the endangered species list.
"Grayling are a candidate species, which is one step away from being listed under the Endangered Species Act," said Doug Peterson, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fisheries biologist.
Several environmental groups have asked a judge to force the agency's hand and list the fish. A hearing is scheduled later this week on that request.
Many are hoping this summer's efforts will give the judge pause.
Ranchers who sign up under the conservation program and agree to implement measures on their property protecting the grayling will be assured that the federal government won't ask for more.
"If they decide not to participate, there is the potential that they'll be liable for incidental take, such as fish being entrained in an irrigation ditch," said Peterson.
The process of developing a CCAA for the Big Hole Valley is on the fast track, but it's not something that will happen overnight.
"This is really a complex document and agreement," Peterson said. "People want this to be done like pronto, especially considering the ongoing litigation."
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks takes the lead once the agreement is in place. That agency has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for an "Enhancement of Survival Permit." The permit would allow for some incidental "take" of grayling should the fish eventually be listed.
That application is the first step in a process that will take months to work through, said Peterson. The goal is to have a CCAA in place by the end of the year.
"There are a lot of regulatory hurdles that we have to jump over," Peterson said.
All the work taking place in the Big Hole Valley this summer, including $500,000 set aside by the Natural Resources and Conservation Service to help pay for improvements, should give the agencies and landowners a head start in getting site-specific conservation plans for individual ranches up and going soon after the agreement is signed.
This is the largest effort in the CCAA's short history - it was finalized in 1999 - in terms of complexity and the number of landowners willing to step up and sign on the dotted line, Peterson said.
"The level of potential participation is huge," he said. "I've called around and talked with other biologists involved with CCAAs and they've told me they're lucky to have one or two landowners interested in getting involved."
Landowners controlling about two-thirds of the private land in the 380,000-acre project area have indicated interest in being part of the program, said Peter Lamothe, FWP's lead biologist on the project.
This spring, ranchers stepped up to help keep water in the section of the river near Wisdom deemed critical as spawning habitat. Some delayed opening their headgates to maintain flows. Others opted to take less water than they'd taken in the past. Some even took the extraordinary step of allowing Fish, Wildlife and Parks employees to control their headgates.
"They see that we don't want all their water," said Lamothe. "We're trying to use some common sense and strike a balance.
"This is all about compromise and finding ways to meet both needs for grayling and the landowner. We're certainly not saying that we don't want any water to go out for irrigation."
It's made a difference already.
As proof, Lamothe points to a graph that plots the amount of water measured at the Wisdom Bridge over the last two years. Despite lower precipitation levels at snow-measuring sites upstream than the previous year, the river's flows were higher through June this year.
"We actually started out this year far worse than last year," Lamothe said. "The difference in my mind is all from the cooperation we've seen from landowners this spring. It has been amazing."
Lamothe and FWP's grayling biologist, Jim Magee, say it's all about communication and developing trust.
"Pete's been out going door to door and explaining this whole process," said Magee. "Trust builds."
"Landowners are willing to cooperate as long as we give them the information they need to make an informed decision," said Lamothe. "There are a lot of times that they don't know how much water is at the bridge. They're certainly not studying the Internet nearly as much as others."
The state is asking for a 20-year commitment from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the CCAA program.
"We want this to be an ongoing process," said Lamothe. "We're not just going to establish a plan and then walk away. It's really about forming a partnership and then using that partnership to solve problems."
Ranchers have seen the writing on the wall.
"This may be the best game in town. In fact, it may be the only one," said Harold Peterson, a Big Hole rancher. "There really aren't very many other alternatives."
Peterson has seen a big change in people's attitudes over the last few years.
"There are a lot of ranchers who really don't want people snooping around their places," he said. "You really can't blame them. Some are going to do this kind of stuff without taking a dime. Š I think in the end, we'll have close to 95 percent of the landowners going to do this.
"I've never seen this valley pull together like that before. Usually there's a few willing to do something and the rest just kind of ride along.
"I think people just know that they have to do something or the feds are going to come in here and shove it down our throats," he said.
Big Hole rancher Calvin Erb said he's seen a change in attitude as well.
"Years ago, ranchers here would have said that no government guy is going to get out on their ground and tell them how to irrigate. They'd say their grandfather did it that way and there's no need to change," Erb said.
"The Big Hole has managed to avoid change for 100 years, but that may be coming to an end," he said.
People understand the cost of litigation and they want to avoid that.
"We want to try and resolve some of these issues instead of having to litigate them," Erb said. "We've changed some of our management practices as we've learned more about the issues.
"We didn't know that spring was the critical time for spawning. Nobody did. And now we're all working toward making sure there's water in the river at that critical time."
"We want to be part of the solution, instead of being part of the problem," he said. "My understanding is that the Endangered Species Act isn't an attorney welfare act. It should be helping preserve important habitat, not helping attorneys become wealthy."
By PERRY BACKUS of the Missoulian
Jim Magee, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks grayling biologist, takes a look under the highway bridge over the Big Hole River near Wisdom. That portion of the river has always been considered the stronghold of the fluvial arctic grayling. As the grayling's numbers dwindled, many of those interested in the future of the fish focused their attention on water levels on this stretch of river.
WISDOM - The last remaining population of native river-dwelling arctic grayling is struggling in its final stronghold in the Big Hole River.
But that's not news.
What is new is an unprecedented effort by landowners to work side by side with state and federal officials to do something to turn the situation around starting this summer.
Fluvial arctic grayling were once abundant in the entire upper Missouri River drainage. Introductions of nonnative species, overfishing and changes in habitat have pushed the fish known for its large dorsal fin out of every river and stream except the upper reaches of the Big Hole River drainage.
Years of drought have recently cut even more into their numbers.
People started to fret about the potential of losing this part of Montana's heritage back in 1989, when the grayling's numbers dipped to 22 per mile. In 2002, after several years of low water, biologists couldn't find enough fish to make an estimate.
In a place where cowboy hats are the norm and distrust of government runs generations deep, the potential of the grayling finding its way onto the federal endangered species list has opened the door for a new way of solving problems.
State and federal folks have spread out across the upper Big Hole Valley to talk about the potential for conservation projects on private land.
They've been met with open arms.
So far, 39 landowners who control nearly 210,000 acres have signed on to a proposal to work under a federal program with a long-winded name.
If everyone is able to work their way through the complicated process to establish a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances, or CCAA, ranchers and government types could start putting together long-term conservation plans that will protect riparian habitat, put more water in streams and maybe jump-start the grayling's recovery.
In return, ranchers get some peace of mind, knowing they'll be somewhat protected should a judge decide the grayling belongs on the endangered species list.
"Grayling are a candidate species, which is one step away from being listed under the Endangered Species Act," said Doug Peterson, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fisheries biologist.
Several environmental groups have asked a judge to force the agency's hand and list the fish. A hearing is scheduled later this week on that request.
Many are hoping this summer's efforts will give the judge pause.
Ranchers who sign up under the conservation program and agree to implement measures on their property protecting the grayling will be assured that the federal government won't ask for more.
"If they decide not to participate, there is the potential that they'll be liable for incidental take, such as fish being entrained in an irrigation ditch," said Peterson.
The process of developing a CCAA for the Big Hole Valley is on the fast track, but it's not something that will happen overnight.
"This is really a complex document and agreement," Peterson said. "People want this to be done like pronto, especially considering the ongoing litigation."
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks takes the lead once the agreement is in place. That agency has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for an "Enhancement of Survival Permit." The permit would allow for some incidental "take" of grayling should the fish eventually be listed.
That application is the first step in a process that will take months to work through, said Peterson. The goal is to have a CCAA in place by the end of the year.
"There are a lot of regulatory hurdles that we have to jump over," Peterson said.
All the work taking place in the Big Hole Valley this summer, including $500,000 set aside by the Natural Resources and Conservation Service to help pay for improvements, should give the agencies and landowners a head start in getting site-specific conservation plans for individual ranches up and going soon after the agreement is signed.
This is the largest effort in the CCAA's short history - it was finalized in 1999 - in terms of complexity and the number of landowners willing to step up and sign on the dotted line, Peterson said.
"The level of potential participation is huge," he said. "I've called around and talked with other biologists involved with CCAAs and they've told me they're lucky to have one or two landowners interested in getting involved."
Landowners controlling about two-thirds of the private land in the 380,000-acre project area have indicated interest in being part of the program, said Peter Lamothe, FWP's lead biologist on the project.
This spring, ranchers stepped up to help keep water in the section of the river near Wisdom deemed critical as spawning habitat. Some delayed opening their headgates to maintain flows. Others opted to take less water than they'd taken in the past. Some even took the extraordinary step of allowing Fish, Wildlife and Parks employees to control their headgates.
"They see that we don't want all their water," said Lamothe. "We're trying to use some common sense and strike a balance.
"This is all about compromise and finding ways to meet both needs for grayling and the landowner. We're certainly not saying that we don't want any water to go out for irrigation."
It's made a difference already.
As proof, Lamothe points to a graph that plots the amount of water measured at the Wisdom Bridge over the last two years. Despite lower precipitation levels at snow-measuring sites upstream than the previous year, the river's flows were higher through June this year.
"We actually started out this year far worse than last year," Lamothe said. "The difference in my mind is all from the cooperation we've seen from landowners this spring. It has been amazing."
Lamothe and FWP's grayling biologist, Jim Magee, say it's all about communication and developing trust.
"Pete's been out going door to door and explaining this whole process," said Magee. "Trust builds."
"Landowners are willing to cooperate as long as we give them the information they need to make an informed decision," said Lamothe. "There are a lot of times that they don't know how much water is at the bridge. They're certainly not studying the Internet nearly as much as others."
The state is asking for a 20-year commitment from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the CCAA program.
"We want this to be an ongoing process," said Lamothe. "We're not just going to establish a plan and then walk away. It's really about forming a partnership and then using that partnership to solve problems."
Ranchers have seen the writing on the wall.
"This may be the best game in town. In fact, it may be the only one," said Harold Peterson, a Big Hole rancher. "There really aren't very many other alternatives."
Peterson has seen a big change in people's attitudes over the last few years.
"There are a lot of ranchers who really don't want people snooping around their places," he said. "You really can't blame them. Some are going to do this kind of stuff without taking a dime. Š I think in the end, we'll have close to 95 percent of the landowners going to do this.
"I've never seen this valley pull together like that before. Usually there's a few willing to do something and the rest just kind of ride along.
"I think people just know that they have to do something or the feds are going to come in here and shove it down our throats," he said.
Big Hole rancher Calvin Erb said he's seen a change in attitude as well.
"Years ago, ranchers here would have said that no government guy is going to get out on their ground and tell them how to irrigate. They'd say their grandfather did it that way and there's no need to change," Erb said.
"The Big Hole has managed to avoid change for 100 years, but that may be coming to an end," he said.
People understand the cost of litigation and they want to avoid that.
"We want to try and resolve some of these issues instead of having to litigate them," Erb said. "We've changed some of our management practices as we've learned more about the issues.
"We didn't know that spring was the critical time for spawning. Nobody did. And now we're all working toward making sure there's water in the river at that critical time."
"We want to be part of the solution, instead of being part of the problem," he said. "My understanding is that the Endangered Species Act isn't an attorney welfare act. It should be helping preserve important habitat, not helping attorneys become wealthy."
