Alarming catch: Why Yellowstone is worried about this fish

Alarming catch: Why Yellowstone is worried about this fish

Source: usatoday

3/10/2022

Alarming catch: Why Yellowstone is worried about this fish

The recent catch of a smallmouth bass in Montana’s Gardner River has Yellowstone National Park biologists deeply concerned about a possible “invasion” of the non-native species.

The bass was caught Feb. 19 near the Gardner River’s confluence with the Yellowstone River, just north of the park.

In a Wednesday news release, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) explained that an established population of smallmouth bass in the region “could pose threats to native fish in the upper Yellowstone River.”

Also on Wednesday, Todd Koel, lead fisheries biologist for Yellowstone National Park, responded to news of the catch with this statement:

“Smallmouth bass are an invasive predatory species that will threaten our wild and native trout populations if they become established in the upper Yellowstone River.