FISH STOCKING IN WILDERNESS AREAS - The introduction of non-native fish into historically fishless lakes in designated wilderness areas is becoming an increasingly controversial issue. Since the 1800's, trout species have been stocked in wilderness lakes in the western United States for recreational fishing purposes. New research suggests that this stocking may compromise some of the ecological and social values of designated wilderness. It has been demonstrated that fish introductions dramatically alter native vertebrate and invertebrate communities, and amphibians, zooplankton, and benthic macroinvertebrates have been extirpated from formally fishless waters.

The concern that aquatic habitats within wilderness are subject to management practices inconsistent with the goal of maintaining natural processes has inspired new research into the effects of these practice on ecosystem structure and function. The Leopold Institute has both completed and ongoing research projects addressing this issue.

In 1998 we sponsored a fish stocking workshop, the proceedings of which have now been published in Ecosystems. 2001. Vol. 4, No. 4.

NON-NATIVE SPECIES: PRIORITY RESEARCH QUESTIONS  (Draft)

FISH STOCKING PUBLICATIONS (Leopold Institute)

FISH STOCKING READING LIST

NON-NATIVE SPECIES - INVASIVE PLANTS - EXOTICS