Yellowstone National Park supports some of the world’s most famous and highly coveted fisheries. It is also a last stronghold for native trout in the region. 

            In recent years, however, prolonged drought, introduced species, and disease have imperiled the Park’s native fish populations. Yellowstone cutthroat trout are estimated to occupy only 10% of their historic range and Yellowstone National Park is home to 91% of the world’s remaining population. Westslope cutthroat trout are estimated to exist in only 8% of their native waters and the few remaining genetically pure populations in Yellowstone are small, isolated, and face a high risk of extinction.

            This situation, if left unaddressed could be particularly devastating for birds of prey, the threatened grizzly bear, and other species for which these fish are a vital food source. In addition to these ecosystem-wide impacts, should the Yellowstone and westslope cutthroat be listed as endangered species, angling opportunities could be greatly reduced in a Park where fishing has been a tradition for generations.

            The Yellowstone Park Foundation, recognizing the importance of native trout to the viability of the Yellowstone ecosystem and the future of fishing in the Park, has thus undertaken a $500,000 Fisheries Fund Initiative to fund research necessary for the conservation of Yellowstone cutthroat trout and for the restoration of genetically pure westslope cutthroat trout.

            With funding from the Fisheries Fund Initiative, Park fisheries biologists are conducting intensive surveys to document the current status of Yellowstone cutthroat trout within the Park. They are also conducting research on the seasonal movement patterns and specific habitat requirements of westslope cutthroat trout—a crucial step in preparation for the delicate task of reintroduction.

            The Fisheries Fund Initiative is about good science informing good management. It is an investment in the Park’s future, as well as in the very survival of these spectacular trout species.   The Yellowstone Fisheries Fund Initiative is a call to action—action urgently needed to protect and preserve native fish in Yellowstone National Park. Those who value Yellowstone’s diverse ecosystem, native wildlife, and blue-ribbon trout streams can make a difference by making a tax-deductible donation to the Fisheries Fund Initiative.

            For a limited time, donors of $1,000 or more to the Yellowstone Park Foundation for the Fisheries Fund Initiative will receive a very special gift made possible by the generosity of The Orvis Company—a limited-edition Yellowstone Park Foundation fly fishing reel. Please visit the Yellowstone Park Foundation website at www.ypf.org for details on this distinctive reel and how you can reserve one of just one hundred for yourself.

            To make a gift of any size to Yellowstone’s fisheries, please mail a check today to the Yellowstone Park Foundation, 222 East Main Street, Suite 301, Bozeman, Montana 59715 or visit the Foundation’s website and click on “How You Can Help” to make a secure donation on