Popular Yellowstone River closes after thousands of fish die

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports that Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks had counted about 1,000 dead fish as of Monday.

“I think Montana Fish Wildlife Parks, they’re doing the right thing”, Reiner said.

A dead whitefish floats belly up near the Mayors Landing Fishing Access in the Yellowstone River in Livingston, Mont. on Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016.

State officials announced Friday that a large section of the Yellowstone River has been closed to all water-based recreation, including fishing, wading, floating, tubing, boating, in order to prevent the spread of a disease that is killing fish by the thousands.

Fish, Wildlife and Parks Director Jeff Hagener acknowledged that the move would have a significant effect on those who use the Yellowstone.

The closure, imposed by the state Fish, Wildlife and Parks agency, covers more than 150 miles (240 km) of the Yellowstone River and its tributaries outside Yellowstone National Park.

The disease could have been triggered by certain “stressors” such as high temperature, low water flow and human recreational activity.

In addition, once anglers are done fishing at a site within Yellowstone National Park, they must remove all mud, sediment, vegetation and other debris from waders and boots before leaving that site and traveling to additional fishing locations within the park.

The closures will remain until the waterways improve and fish stop dying, according to officials from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Gigone called the closure catastrophic but said he would not fight it.

“If it’s a threat to the Yellowstone River trout population, we support it, but I hope it doesn’t last too long”, Wiese said.

Walter Wiese, head fishing guide at Park’s Fly Shop in Gardiner, said an extended closure would be tough for regional fishing businesses, as well as others along the river, such as whitewater rafting guides. The officials explained that recreational activities are stressing the fish and amplify the effects of the parasite on their health. “The closure will also help limit the spread of the parasite to adjacent rivers through boats, tubes, waders and other human contact and minimize further mortality in all fish species”. “It’s definitely a big part of the Livingston and area economy”.

Montana FWP officials made the decision after dead whitefish turned up by the thousand, having succumbed to Proliferative Kidney Disease, which is caused by a parasite. The state’s outdoor recreation economy creates more than 64,000 jobs and is valued at about $6 billion. “However, we must act to protect this public resource for present and future generations”, Hagener said in the release.

Yellowstone Raft Co. owner Robin Trotter said she had started calling hundreds of customers with reservations in coming weeks to let them know their trips could be canceled. The agency is asking the public to properly clean all equipment prior to moving between bodies of water. FWP has set up two Aquatic Invasive Species decontamination stations along Interstate 90 near the affected area in an effort to help reduce the chance of this parasite moving to other rivers.