Blue Mesa Reservoir: Colorado Department of Wildlife to explain lake trout control policy
August 2, 2009
From The Denver Post (Charlie Meyers):
…area biologist John Alves said…DOW is committed to a strategy of balance: a highly productive kokanee fishery, a good rainbow trout fishery and a viable trophy lake trout fishery. To explain its rationale, and perhaps sprinkle some cold water on the argument, DOW has scheduled a series of public meetings in the region. The first is Aug. 25 at the Grand Junction Doubletree Hotel. Others are Aug. 26 at the Montrose Holiday Inn Express, Aug. 27 at the Gunnison Aspinall-Wilson Center at Western State College and Sept. 2 at the DOW regional office in Colorado Springs. All begin at 7 p.m. DOW will explain how stable water levels in recent years promoted highly successful lake trout reproduction in Big Blue. At the same time, kokanee egg take has tumbled — 5.8 million in 2008 against 8.2 million in 2007. Biologists project the current kokanee population at 200,000. A decade ago, the estimation was 10 million or more.
