The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
The Colorado Division of Wildlife has scheduled four meetings throughout the state to discuss fishery management issues at Blue Mesa Reservoir. One will be held tonight, Thursday August 27 in Gunnison.
The reservoir, west of Gunnison, is the DOW’s primary water in the state for kokanee salmon fishing and for collection of salmon eggs. The kokanee population, however, is in significant decline due to predation by lake trout. To ensure that the fishery stays in balance and continues to provide a variety of angling opportunities, the DOW plans to remove some lake trout that are 30 inches or less in size.
“This is a predator-prey relationship issue,” said Dan Brauch, aquatic biologist for the DOW in Gunnison. “At Blue Mesa Reservoir the predators are overwhelming the prey; the relationship is out of balance. We’re losing kokanee and we’re losing the potential for long-term production of trophy-sized lake trout.”
At the meetings, DOW aquatic biologists will explain the issues at the reservoir and describe how lake trout will be removed.
The meeting schedule is as follows:
A Grand Junction meeting was held Tuesday, August 25 and a meeting in Montrose was held Wednesday, August 26.
Gunnison, Thursday, August 27, 7-9 p.m., Aspinall-Wilson Conference Center at Western State College.
Colorado Springs, Wednesday, September 2, 7-9 p.m., DOW Southeast Region office, 4255 Sinton Road.
