Yellowstone River Closed to Fishing

[The Chronicler]

As of August 19, 2016 the Yellowstone River from Gardiner, Montana to Laurel, Montana is closed to AL fishing, wading, floating, tubing and boating until further notice. The cause is Proliferative Kidney Disease [PKD]. Earlier this month anglers began reporting an unusual number of dead and dying Rocky Mountain Whitefish in the river south of Livingston, Montana. Samples taken from the river indicate that the cause is a microscopic parasite which affects trout as well as whitefish. While the parasite causes no risk to humans the river has been closed to prevent the spread of this disease.

When the river will reopen for recreational activities is unknown at this time. If you are planning to come to fish the Yellowstone River in the area described above you should make other plans at this time.

The Chronicler

[Byron Zuehlsdorff]

Thank you for the notification.

[jcampbell]

Thanks for the notice. We are headed to Montana end of the month, but not to that location fortunately.

[John Rhoades]

As of August 19, 2016 the Yellowstone River from Gardiner, Montana to Laurel, Montana is closed to AL fishing, wading, floating, tubing and boating until further notice. The cause is Proliferative Kidney Disease [PKD]. Earlier this month anglers began reporting an unusual number of dead and dying Rocky Mountain Whitefish in the river south of Livingston, Montana. Samples taken from the river indicate that the cause is a microscopic parasite which affects trout as well as whitefish. While the parasite causes no risk to humans the river has been closed to prevent the spread of this disease.

When the river will reopen for recreational activities is unknown at this time. If you are planning to come to fish the Yellowstone River in the area described above you should make other plans at this time.

The Chronicler

We should add that the closure also includes all tributaries to the Yellowstone in this effected area, which would include the Boulder, Stillwater and a number of other rivers and streams.

Also, Yellowstone National Park's scientists are presently reviewing this issue as far as what, if any, actions they might take in the Park, and an announcement from them is expected shortly.

John

[Missdavidson]

Very sad and heartbreaking to see as a fisherwoman

[Byron haugh]

I will be very interested in knowing why this has happened...........Is this due to contamination from other waters? Is it a "natural occurrence" due to climate conditions in the watershed? Certainly hope that it doesn't spread into other critical watersheds.

[John Rhoades]

I will be very interested in knowing why this has happened...........Is this due to contamination from other waters? Is it a "natural occurrence" due to climate conditions in the watershed? Certainly hope that it doesn't spread into other critical watersheds.

Byron -

To answer your question, it appears that this pathogen has been in a number of other rivers in northwest for some time, and the effects this year on the Yellowstone may have been exacerbated by a combination of low and warm water.

There have been reports on this in practically every newspaper in this part of the country for the past week or so, but here is one from the Billings paper that goes into some detail about it, in case you haven't read one of these news articles:

http://billingsgazette.com/lifestyle...2c343f7dc.html

As you know, I'm located right on the river in the middle of Paradise Valley, and it was eerily quiet here yesterday. While there are normally hundreds of people of all types on the river on a sunny summer Saturday, all we heard yesterday was the sound of the river, moving slowly along.

Although there are still tons of dead whitefish along the shoreline and in the eddies, I didn't see any dead ones floating in the river yesterday, or see nearly dead ones finning in one particular shallow eddy nearby, as I did most days during this past week, which may indicate that the kill is subsiding. And, I've been looking for dead trout, but so far I haven't seen any here where I am - just dead whitefish.

John

[ScottP]

it appears that this pathogen has been in a number of other rivers in northwest for some time, and the effects this year on the Yellowstone may have been exacerbated by a combination of low and warm water.

John,

I wonder if PKD is what hit the whitefish population on the Madison River a few years ago; possibly the partial failure of Hebgen Dam (anyone remember the banded stop logs), and corresponding erratic flows/temps?
Hope cooler temps help ease the situation and relieve the stress on the fish.

Regards,
Scott

[John Rhoades]

John,

I wonder if PKD is what hit the whitefish population on the Madison River a few years ago; possibly the partial failure of Hebgen Dam (anyone remember the banded stop logs), and corresponding erratic flows/temps?
Hope cooler temps help ease the situation and relieve the stress on the fish.

Regards,
Scott

Not sure where the other recognized breakouts of this were, nor were the members of another active forum that you and I participate in when this subject was discussed there.

Interestingly, I just got a newly published (2016) pocket guide book on aquatic invasive species in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, and there is no reference in it to PKD.

It is also interesting to note that an experienced individual just down the road from me was stating his opinion that this was PKD almost as soon as the dead whitefish began showing over a week ago, and more than a week before the state officially recognized it as such.

John

[Byron haugh]

Byron -

To answer your question, it appears that this pathogen has been in a number of other rivers in northwest for some time, and the effects this year on the Yellowstone may have been exacerbated by a combination of low and warm water.

There have been reports on this in practically every newspaper in this part of the country for the past week or so, but here is one from the Billings paper that goes into some detail about it, in case you haven't read one of these news articles:

http://billingsgazette.com/lifestyle...2c343f7dc.html

As you know, I'm located right on the river in the middle of Paradise Valley, and it was eerily quiet here yesterday. While there are normally hundreds of people of all types on the river on a sunny summer Saturday, all we heard yesterday was the sound of the river, moving slowly along.

Although there are still tons of dead whitefish along the shoreline and in the eddies, I didn't see any dead ones floating in the river yesterday, or see nearly dead ones finning in one particular shallow eddy nearby, as I did most days during this past week, which may indicate that the kill is subsiding. And, I've been looking for dead trout, but so far I haven't seen any here where I am - just dead whitefish.

John

John,
Thanks for that.
What I am really trying to understand is this: Is the PKD always there in the river, but becomes deadly to some fish when ecological factors deteriorate in the river; i.e., warming water, low flows, etc.....and, is it because the fish become weaker or is it because the disease thrives in such eco conditions..........

OR, has there been an introduction of the cause of the disease. I note that the Park recommends that fishers clean/disinfect their gear before entering waters in the Park.............