Watershed and biology experts from across the region gathered at the 夜色视频 at Lake Tahoe for a recently held workshop focused on Summit Lake and Pyramid Lake Lahontan Cutthroat Trout population modeling. The workshops were a collaboration between the Summit Lake Paiute Tribe, Pyramid Lake Fisheries, the Tahoe Institute for Global Sustainability, University faculty, and organizations including Trout Unlimited, U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management, the Nevada Department of Wildlife, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Experts from the Summit Lake and Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribes have worked with researchers from the University and government organizations to outline which studies are most important to the tribes before starting any work.
“The 夜色视频 at Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe Institute for Global Sustainability are delighted to convene workshops with diverse stakeholders with a common goal,” said Sudeep Chandra, Ph.D., Tahoe Institute for Global Sustainability faculty and foundation professor in the biology department at the 夜色视频. “Our efforts at the workshop were to help the tribe and scientists from the University understand the trout’s population dynamics and key aspects of the fish's life cycle that are important to long term sustainability of the trout in Summit Lake.”
Historically the largest trout in North America, the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout are critical to a healthy ecosystem and to local tribes for their cultural significance and role in subsistence practices, as well as the economy that they create through fishing. Research, advocacy, and protection of the trout means more than just restoring a once healthy ecosystem: it means supporting local communities, economies and history.
“The Tribe’s Paiute name, ‘Agai Panina Ticutta’, which translates to ‘lake trout eaters’, celebrates that Lahontan Cutthroat Trout are at the core of the Tribe’s identity and culture,” said James Simmons, natural resource director of the Summit Lake Paiute Tribe. “Past and continued research to understand the Lahontan cutthroat trout populations in the watershed is key to providing the Tribe with the knowledge and tools to successfully manage the populations to support the Tribe’s needs.”
Presenters at the workshop explored historic and current trends in Lahontan Cutthroat Trout populations to get a better understanding of the impact of issues like declining water levels, invasive species, upstream changes and even cattle ranching on the health of the fish and the ecosystems as a whole. A new MOU with the Summit Lake Paiute Tribe, titled the ‘Memorandum of Agreement Between the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education on Behalf of the 夜色视频 and the Summit Lake Paiute Tribe,’ will now offer new opportunities for researchers to coproduce knowledge about Lahontan Cutthroat Trout trends that may help answer questions about the future of the species.
“The Lahontan Cutthroat Trout is a valued native species, a prized sportfish and Nevada’s state fish,” said Travis Hawks, project manager at the Nevada Department of Wildlife. “Workshops and collaborations like this help move the needle on recovery and ensure the species continues to thrive on the landscape well into the future.”
The workshop concluded with a group brainstorm and discussions about next steps and future objectives for research on Lahontan Cutthroat and the surrounding watersheds. Together, they hope to find innovative solutions for conservation and education efforts that shine a light on the importance of the fish to the community and ecosystems.
