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Cooperation and Controversy in Wilderness Fisheries Management
Author(s) -
Fraley John
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
fisheries
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.725
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1548-8446
pISSN - 0363-2415
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8446(1996)021<0016:caciwf>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - wilderness , wilderness area , fisheries management , wildlife , recreation , ecosystem management , environmental resource management , wildlife refuge , stocking , fishing , fishery , wildlife management , environmental planning , geography , business , ecology , ecosystem , environmental science , biology
Fisheries management in U.S. wilderness areas has been limited by a lack of cooperation between state and federal management agencies. Fish and wildlife management guidelines for wilderness areas agreed to in 1986 by the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Bureau of Land Management represent a first step but are outdated and too broad to be applied to specific wilderness areas. In addition, they provide no formal process for agencies to work together. New agreements, including the comprehensive framework for managing fish, wildlife, and habitat in Montana's 1.5‐million‐acre Bob Marshall Wilderness complex, forge close partnerships in managing fisheries and other resources and set specific, shared management guidelines. Despite increased cooperation, many fisheries management issues in wilderness areas remain controversial. These include fish stocking, recreational fishing, ecosystem management principles, control of human use, grazing, and others. Fish stocking creates the most controversy among wilderness managers and the public because of the perceived conflict with wilderness values, potential effects on indigenous aquatic invertebrates and amphibians, and methods of transporting fish to wilderness lakes. Fisheries managers of wilderness areas will benefit as state and federal agencies practice shared rather than divided management of fish, wildlife, and habitat resources. This collaborative approach is consistent with ecosystem management principles, sound science, common sense, and the desires of the public.