the snails

Posted in Park's Fly Shop in Gardiner, Mt.

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4ze6a9we.jpg

These snails were very noticeable on the lower Gardner river 8 years ago. Invasive species seem to spread un-checked

did they cause any problems? Economic impact or decrease in population of the Holy Trout from 8 years ago to today?

Invasive species suck and they shouldn't be there. No argument on that. I grew up during the Great Lakes invasive species panics... Zebra Mussels, Quagga Mussels, Spiny Water Fleas, Gobies.... and each one of them was absolutely going to be the ruination of the entire ecosystem.

Not sure of your point. They are destructive and those whose job it is to protect the fish population are trying to diminish their impact on the rivers.

Large sign at the Wilson Bridge on the Snake River....
In addition to the info about Didymo and other problems, it is good to be reminded that 60 seconds out of the water and 2/3 of such released fish die........
http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/...pslbdjg26s.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Byron haugh

Not sure of your point. They are destructive and those whose job it is to protect the fish population are trying to diminish their impact on the rivers.

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What are they destroying and is their impact so significant that unknown amounts of resources will be expended to "diminish" it? I'm just asking from a detached point of view. There is not a body of water in the US which is not host to some sort of non-native species. "Those whose job it is to protect the fish" should, in reality, be advocating for a total end to interaction of all types in a given body of water. It ain't gonna happen. On a large scale and in the long term, invasive species have not ended the chain-of-life anywhere in the US. Not saying it can't or won't happen somewhere, just that it hasn't. Study the history of Lake Erie regarding pollution, invasives, and artificially introduced species ("gamefish" and non-gamefish).

The sign tries to answer the question of why one should care.
I'll believe them 'till proven otherwise....just my own thought.