Last week Trout Unlimited in Arizona hosted the Native and Wild Trout Conference. We had a record turn out and an awesome line up of speakers. We started out with some hot coffee, tasty doughnuts and time to mingle, meet and reunite with friends and colleagues. Guests were greeted by a video with TU CEO Chris Wood commending the success in removing the Apache Trout from the Endangered Species List.
Additional information on the steps in the post delisting monitoring was shared by Zav Johnson of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and AZ Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office Project Coordinator.
Kate Dukette, AZGFD Aquatic Invasive Species Program Manager presented on invasive species adversely affecting our waterways, specifically the New Zealand Mud Snail. These very small little critters are extremely hardy living up to 50 days on damp surfaces. The snails can produce up to 230 new snails each year.
They can be spread from waterway to waterway via fishing equipment, boots, floating tubes, and hiking poles. She stressed the importance of educating everyone who wades through and enjoys our streams and rivers. The trick is thoroughly cleaning and drying your gear before venturing out again. The ingredients in a common household cleaner 409 does a great job of killing the invasive critter.
Other presentations included information about the population of trout in Lees Ferry, lower water levels had resulted in higher temperatures which are more conducive to bass and green sunfish. Dave Rogowski the Wildlife Specialist Regional Supervisor for AZGFD explained that techniques such as using the lower river outlet to bring in cooler water from Lake Powell requires the shut down of the hydropower penstocks, rendering a halt on power production. Other interesting measure were described such as electrofishing to count fish numbers. (the fish are stunned for a brief time)
Water Quality Program Manager Jade Dickens shared some interesting information on the absorption of mercury in our waterways by fish. Arizona has 29 fish consumption advisories and those can be found at https://azdeq.gov/fca .
Many other presenters were on the agenda covering the effects of the Horton Fire on watersheds, the restoration at Dude Creek, Chase Creek and Thompson Meadow, an overview of Apache Trout Research, Brown Trout. It wasn’t all research and technical information however! Alex Loubere also shared tips on completing the AZGFD Trout Challenge and his stories about his catches across the state.
The masterminds behind the Fish AZ project, Doug Burt, Chase Newlon and Alec Young, shared the success of their recruitment, retention and reactivation efforts hosting dozens of events from beginner fishing clinics, fly-tying classes, fishing events for kids and families across the state.
TU also annually presents awards to an individual and organizations who have supported and made significant contributions to conservation and natural ecosystems. This year the individual award the Gila Trout Award is . The Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation received the Apache Trout Award.
