WNTI Newsletter
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Contact: Robin Knox
Coordinator, Western Native Trout Initiative
wnti.rknox@wispertel.net
The Western Native Trout Initiative Announces Funding Grant and the 2009 Project Request to the National Fish Habitat Board
The Western native Trout Initiative, a venture of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and a National Fish Habitat Partnership, is pleased to announce that it has received approval of a Multi-state Conservation Grant which will fund the operations of the Initiative through December 2011. The grant is from the annual re-allocation of unspent Federal Aid to Sportfish Restoration dollars.
" For the past two and a half years, the Western Native Trout Initiative has worked to develop a new approach to expanding the work being done to protect various species of cutthroat and other native trout across the West", said Robin Knox, who is the WNTI Coordinator. The Western Native Trout Initiative (WNTI) has partnered with 12 western states, 5 federal fishery management agencies, and multiple public and private entities in a planning and project implementation effort that funds on-the-ground data collection and habitat improvement projects to conserve and enhance native trout populations. Over the past three years, 30 projects have been initiated and funded by this effort.
Receipt of the new grant will allow the Initiative to continue its efforts to garner support for conservation efforts that will help recover federally listed native trout species, and enhance the status of those species that have been considered for listing in the past. "Our main goal and objective for the Initiative is to increase the overall conservation effort that will prevent other native trout from being added to the threatened or endangered species list. Having an additional three years of operating funds will greatly help with that effort," Knox said.
WNTI Projects Submitted for NFHAP Consideration
The Western Native Trout Initiative submitted the following list of native trout habitat projects for funding in the 2009 project year:
• Honey Creek Diversion #2 removal in Oregon for Redband trout restoration
• Panther Creek fish passage barrier removal in Washington for Westslope Cutthroat trout
• Fish and habitat restoration in Santa Clara Creek in New Mexico for Rio Grande Cutthroat trout
• East Fork Bear River Canal fish screen placement in Utah for Bonneville Cutthroat trout
• Remove 2 fish barriers in Stony Creek in Montana for Westslope cutthroat trout
• Lower Deer Creek protective fish barrier in Montana for Yellowstone cutthroat trout
• Restore fish passage in Eccles Creek in Alaska for coastal cutthroat trout
• Place protective fish barrier in McDermott Creek in Nevada for Lahontan Cutthroat trout
The projects will be considered for funding by the National Fish Habitat Board at their March 4-5, 2009 Board meeting in Harrisburg, PA.
Visit www.westernnativetrout.org for more information about WNTI
