MONTANANS! THE INSANITY OF POISONING YOUR TROUT STREAMS WITH ROTENONE

From a contact in Montana.

 

 

 

Several weeks ago I read an article in the Billings Gazette which talked about "biologists" using Rotenone in Grayling Creek for a "fish kill".  At a Meeting in early September a friend talked about what would happen when people discovered details the "project" to make the native cutthroat and grayling the only fish in our streams.  I didn't quite get the gist of the entire thing he was speaking about, but have since done some research.  

• This article doesn't say who the "biologists" are....like which agency
• And they say they are putting "small quantities" of the toxin in streams to "kill off non-native trout" - but do not define "small".
• I believe this is a project of the Department of the Interior via Fish and Game, but have not been able to verify.  
• And they are not only putting poison (Retenone) in Grayling Creek, but lots of streams, if not the lake, in Yellowstone Park - this according to a source in West Yellowstone.  
• There has been no public notification of this and no public hearings that I have been aware of (regarding this project) in the Livingston area. Have you heard anything about this?

Rotenone is a toxic poison which occurs naturally in some roots and plants - it was used as a pesticide in the US beginning in the 1940's.  

It was banned as a pesticide in both the United States and European Union in 2007.  

It is toxic to insects. (EPA)

It can be toxic to waterfowl and upland game. (EPA)

It causes Parkinson's Disease in humans and animals. (National Institute of Health)

In warm water it can dissipate in 2 to 3 days. (EPA)

In cold water it may dissipate in 5 to 6 days. (EPA)

The impact of this poison going into groundwater wells is unknown according to an EPA paper (1988).

The impact of this poison on crops is largely unknown according to the same EPA paper.

When the toxin is used in streams (it is okay for Fish and Game to use it on fish - go figure) it kills ALL the Fish not just the non-native trout as suggested by the article.  And it will also kill off all insects that come in contact with the water within at least a 2 to 3 day period.

We do not know what it will do to birds but the impact depending on concentration can be fatal...... and other damage/impact is not known.  As a member of the Audubon Society and Ducks Unlimited, this practice disturbs me.  Since the "restoration of wolves" to the Yellowstone has been such a disaster, I can't see that Fish and Game is fit to manage killing all the trout in all the public park waters and then restoring just native cutthroat and grayling.  In studies Rotenone causes Parkinson's Disease in animals.

What is most disturbing is the fact that Rotenone is a health hazard and Yellowstone waters are "live" waters feeding the Madison, Gallatin and Yellowstone Rivers...all of which are used for irrigation and all of which feed our groundwater wells......as well as provide a place to fish, swim and wade. And if the toxin does not dissipate in cool/cold water for 5 to 6 days, we may be immersed in waters injected with the toxin and thus potential new Parkinson's victims since they are not notifying the public of where and when they are putting the Retenone in the streams in the Park.  In the case of Grayling Creek,....it comes out of Yellowstone and follows the road down towards Gallatin Gateway and ends in a Marsh which is favored by Moose and waterfowl.  I don't know it it also has underground feeds to the beginning of the Gallatin on the otherside of the road.

Please contact local people you know and ask them to inquire and investigate about this "project" and use of the toxin Rotenone....and if you have time write to Montana, Idaho and Wyoming public officials and make inquiries. The USDA wishes to ban Rotenone for all uses.  I have attached a few articles on the Parkinson's issue.

Here is the original article:

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) — Biologists are preparing to poison off all the fish in a stream in Yellowstone National Park ahead of an effort to restore native fish species to those waters.

Nonnative brown and rainbow trout have invaded and become established in Grayling Creek and its tributaries north of West Yellowstone, Mont.

This week, biologists plan to put small quantities of a toxin in the streams to kill off the nonnative trout. Treatments with the chemical Rotenone will continue for two to three years until all of the nonnative fish species are gone.

After that, biologists plan to restock the creek drainage with two native species, Arctic grayling and westslope cutthroat trout.

Yellowstone officials say people shouldn't swim or drink from the streams through Aug. 30.