02-21-2013, 02:53 PM
Thank you for bringing up the idea of tiger musky into Scofield. This suggestion seems to arise every time we talk about Scofield and I want to take this opportunity to reply.
Tiger musky are voracious predators that would undoubtedly do a number on the chubs in Scofield. However, the water management and outlet structure design at Scofield would also ensure that they would escape downstream where they would do just as good of job on the sensitive and endangered fish in the Price and Green Rivers. Tiger musky are sterile, so they would not reproduce in the rivers, but for the 8 or 10 years of their lifespan, they would be eating those native fish.
The DWR had to show that the chance of tiger musky escapement from Joe's Valley was minimal before we received approval from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to stock them there. We also are required to sample the stream and river below Joe's Valley each year to monitor escapement. If we do catch tiger muskies downstream of the reservoir, we will need to terminate stocking and liberalize the limit to remove them from the reservoir.
Downstream concerns are exactly why the DWR had to treat Scofield in the early 1990s. There was an illegal introduction of walleye into the reservoir at that time and we needed to remove them to protect the native fish downstream. For the same reason we are now faced with treating Red Fleet Reservoir to remove the illegally introduced walleye there.
The Aquatics staff of the DWR tries very hard to listen to input from the public and provide the fisheries that are most desirable. There are times however when we are unable to do so for one reason or another. We appreciate questions and ideas and will do our best to address each one of them.
Thanks again for asking
Paul Birdsey
Coldwater Sportfish Coordinator
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
[signature]
Tiger musky are voracious predators that would undoubtedly do a number on the chubs in Scofield. However, the water management and outlet structure design at Scofield would also ensure that they would escape downstream where they would do just as good of job on the sensitive and endangered fish in the Price and Green Rivers. Tiger musky are sterile, so they would not reproduce in the rivers, but for the 8 or 10 years of their lifespan, they would be eating those native fish.
The DWR had to show that the chance of tiger musky escapement from Joe's Valley was minimal before we received approval from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to stock them there. We also are required to sample the stream and river below Joe's Valley each year to monitor escapement. If we do catch tiger muskies downstream of the reservoir, we will need to terminate stocking and liberalize the limit to remove them from the reservoir.
Downstream concerns are exactly why the DWR had to treat Scofield in the early 1990s. There was an illegal introduction of walleye into the reservoir at that time and we needed to remove them to protect the native fish downstream. For the same reason we are now faced with treating Red Fleet Reservoir to remove the illegally introduced walleye there.
The Aquatics staff of the DWR tries very hard to listen to input from the public and provide the fisheries that are most desirable. There are times however when we are unable to do so for one reason or another. We appreciate questions and ideas and will do our best to address each one of them.
Thanks again for asking
Paul Birdsey
Coldwater Sportfish Coordinator
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
[signature]