Great article. I winced reading it, expecting the self-righteous purists to jump all over it, but so far, no outrage. That's good, in my opinion.

Here are a couple of points to consider:
-With all of the emphasis on re-establishing "native" fish populations in Western trout fisheries, can you image if someone proposed removing Smallmouth Bass from Atlantic coast rivers? What about Striped Bass from the California coast?
-How do we know the Native American "Indians" didn't move fish around from stream to stream? They spread corn, potatoes, and tomatoes all over North and South America. Surely they could have moved Brook Trout from Atlantic slope drainages to Gulf slope drainages, or vice versa, for example.
-What would New Zealand fishing be like if biologists there had the same attitudes as federal fisheries managers in the U.S.?

I love nature, the wilderness, and the outdoors, but I can't help but think the modern American desire for "pristine" may be a bit misplaced. Here in Virginia, there is a "Wilderness" area where Federal law prohibits bicycles, motorized anything (such as chainsaws for trail maintenance) and roads, yet the area is littered with abandoned mines, mining equipment, railroad tracks, etc. It's no more a wilderness than my backyard. Yes, let's celebrate our wild areas and protect them. But let's also not forget that none of this land is truly pristine. If we realize that, then we can discuss how best to manage the land for its maximum benefit, which in many cases may mean maintaining a longstanding Brown Trout fishery in North America.