Announcing ICIE's 2011 "Gold Room" Workshop: Bull Trout - 20 years later

A presentation to a joint meeting of the Idaho House of Representatives Committee on Resources and Conservation and the Idaho Senate Committee on Resources and the Environment

Wednesday, February 9, 2011, 1:30 pm
Senate and House Auditorium (WW02), Idaho Statehouse, Boise

In 1992, The Friends of the Wild Swan, the Alliance for the Wild Rockies and the Swan View Coalition petitioned the US Fish and Wildlife Service to list the bull trout as an endangered species throughout its range. While historically bull trout ranged throughout the Northwest, British Columbia and possibly in Alaska, the main population remains in Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, with a small population in northern Nevada.

In 1994, the USFWS reviewed the status of the fish and determined that, while threatened, bull trout was plentiful enough to insure it was not at immediate risk of extinction.

In 1995, Governor Phil Batt appointed a steering committee and a biology commitee to make recommendations for a bull trout restoration plan. On July 1, 1996, the Governor released his plan to protect and restore Idaho's bull trout.

Between 1992 and 2010, there have been reviews by USFWS, court cases, draft rules and final rules, challenges on all sides, documents reviewed and commented upon, oral arguments before courts, critical habitat designated, more court arguments and negotiations on critical habitat.

This year's "Gold Room" workshop will examine the latest developments in this 18-year old issue. Presenters include:
- Brian Kelly, Idaho State Supervisor
- Ted Koch, Bull Trout Coordinator of the US Fish and Wildlife Service
- Nate Fisher, Administrator of the Idaho Office of Species Conservation and
- Norm Semanko, Executive Director and General Counsel of the Idaho Water Users Association.