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Protecting Native Trout and Preserving

our Natural Ecology

By: Kenneth Caldwell

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Table Of Contents

Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 3
Why are Nonnative Trout a Problem? .......................................................................................... 3
Why are Humans Obsessed with Trout? ....................................................................................... 4
Restoring the Native Trout ............................................................................................................ 5
How can Humans Reverse the Damage that has been done? ...................................................... 5
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 6
Sources ........................................................................................................................................... 7

Table of Figures

Figure 1 .......................................................................................................................................... 3
Figure 2 .......................................................................................................................................... 4
Figure 3 .......................................................................................................................................... 5
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Abstract
Through extensive stocking of farm-grown trout into lakes and rivers, humans have altered the
aquatic ecosystem. People stock these trout for recreation fishing. Native trout species that have
inhabited these areas before the discovery of America are being driven away. The stocked trout
are larger, less colorful, and territorial. Altering the ecosystem causes a ripple effect of problems.
The newly introduced species of trout changed the distribution of amphibians, zooplankton, and
the predators that rely on these animals to survive. If people continue to stock trout into rivers for
human enjoyment, native trout will be extinct along with many other animals that rely on trout to
survive. To solve this problem, humans must take the responsibility and restore the native trout
population and stop stocking farm trout into streams.

Why are Nonnative Trout a Problem?

How did the trout get here?
A nonnative trout is a trout that is not naturally
introduced into a body of water. “The Brown and
rainbow trout make the top ‘100 of the World’s Worst
Invasive Alien Species” (Owen 70). Throughout
America’s history, it has been a major ecological
struggle. Humans have been stocking trout in
America since the Europeans discovered the
continent. They were brought over on boats from
Europe to be stocked into America’s rivers. After
World War II, trout were extensively stocked by
surplus World War II airplanes for American’s
enjoyment. By the end of the 1950s it is reported that
over 3,000,000 baby trout were stocked in California
alone.
Figure 1 This picture shows a plane dropping trout from the sky
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Why is this a problem?

“This long-accepted practice, thought to be
modern, progressive and scientifically
based, has only recently been questioned by
biologists, conservation groups and game
agencies concerned about the long-term
health of trout populations.” (Poole).
Introducing new trout species for fishing
causes major issues for other animals in the
ecosystem. Most of the farm raised fish are
rainbow trout. The rainbow trout are
genetically altered, artificially colored, sex-
changed, sterile, misshapen, and cage-worn
factory version. If you are concerned about
biodiversity, this is a major issue. Robert
Behnke, one of the country’s leading trout Figure 2 This picture shows the difference between a native trout and a
biologist said, “The first rule of intelligent farm raised trout.
tinkering is not to throw away a part because
you do not understand where it goes or what it does… you put brook trout in a stream and cutthroats
just disappear” (Poole). The picture on the right shows the difference between a native trout and
a farm raised trout. The colors of a native trout are much more vibrant, and the meat is cleaner.
One animal that has been affected by the farm raised trout is the mountain yellow-legged frog, it
lived in California and Nevada. “The mountain yellow-legged frog was once so common that
during a wildlife survey in 1915 biologist could not help treading on them. Now over 90 percent
of their population is gone… The date the frog began to decline is the 1950’s, when fingerling
trout were confettied over the Sierras from aircraft.” (Owen 71). The yellow legged frog could not
protect itself from the trout and were eaten. By introducing trout species in areas that are not
already populated by trout brings problems such as ecosystem failure, animal extinctions, and more
effects that are unknown.

Why are Humans Obsessed with Trout?

Throughout time, people have been interested in trout species everywhere. A poet named Ted
Hughes said, “About no other species has such a wealth of writing accumulated, some of it the
most beautiful and memorable in angling literature… the trout belongs to some special privileged
order of creation, they are like the beautiful girl in the school.” (Owen 107). There is a reason why
the trout were transported across the world to all continents, people see the trout as a symbol of
clean, fresh, and beautiful creatures. People used to put trout in their wells to show that their water
was clean and free of bugs. Some people even worshiped the trout as a god. Some people said
that the trout Is the backbone fish of the world. Other people believed that the fish could perform
miracles just by touching it. Everyone wants to have trout in their streams. When streams are
stocked with fish, it brings a lot of tourists to the area, which generates money. No one is going
to turn away a truck full of fish that indirectly brings them money. There needs to be more
communication on the dangers of stocking trout into rivers. If people were informed, more
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regulations could be put on the trout farmers that could save the trout population in future
generations.

Restoring the Native Trout

When humans take on the role of playing ‘god’, bad things occur because we do not see how
everything is connected. When we stock fish for our own enjoyment, the ecosystem is altered, and
a ripple effect occurs and has an impact on everything living in that area. In order to restore the
environment to its original state, trout farms must stop stocking trout that do not belong in the
rivers. There is already efforts of removing trout from rivers that have been overstocked with fish,
specifically where the yellow-legged frog lived. Trout removal techniques are mentioned in
Owen’s Reaction book, “Recent trout removal projects that recreate the frog’s fishless
environments have been judged a success” (Owen 74). Removing trout from rivers is a time-
consuming process and it is impossible to eliminate the nonnative trout from the streams without
doing more harm than good.

How can Humans Reverse the Damage that has been done?
Humans have marveled over trout forever, there are cave carving of trout. Owen explains how
European’s felt about trout in the Reaction book and said, “European colonialist seldom went
anywhere they did not think their homeland trout could improve; completing what they saw as
nature’s unfinished work.” (Owen 8). The Europeans idea was that by introducing trout into newly
colonized areas, the colonist would feel more at home and be able to enjoy the same pleasures they
did in Europe. This idea is the reason that streams are overpopulated with nonnative trout. In
order to reverse the trend, humans must take responsibility and realize that the world is not here
for our enjoyment, we must respect the land and the waters to maintain natures balance. There are
many ways to restore the river back to their original states. One way that people are making room
for the native trout is by poisoning the nonnative fish in the rivers, or by capturing them and
relocating them. Another way to solve the problem is boycotting rivers that are completely
dominated by farm raised trout. This would cut the money supply of the fish farmers and form
them to change their ways. The fish farmers could alter their farms to help restore the native fish
to the rivers. The picture below shows a fish trap that can be used to capture large amounts of fish
in the river and relocated to areas they should be.

Figure 3 This is a fish trap set up to capture farm raised trout.

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Conclusion
Trout have been an essential part of society for a long time. Humans have loved to catch, eat, and
look at trout. The trout is an amazing species that deserves the attention that it gets; this is the
reason why trout must be treated with respect and their habitats left alone. Native trout populations
are decreasing while nonnative trout are being stocked at record numbers. If this trend continues,
there will only be nonnative trout in the rivers and the fish’s survival will become humans’
responsibility. Now that the problem has been recognized, it is time for a change before the
problem is unfixable. People must stop stocking trout that are not native to their environment, and
actions must be taken to remove the trout that are already in the streams. The more humans meddle
with nature, the worse things get.
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Sources

Owen, James. Trout (Animal). Reaktion Books (UK), 2011.

“Native Fish and Their Habitats.” Native Fish Coalition, nativefishcoalition.org/gallery-2.

Poole, Robert. “Native Trout Are Returning to America's Rivers.” Smithsonian.com,

Smithsonian Institution, 1 Aug. 2007, www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/native-
trout-are-returning-to-americas-rivers-160317057/.