CODY, WYOMING - Yellowstone's Cutthroat Trout population is less than less than one tenth what it was in 1991. That, according to the Trout Unlimited's East Yellowstone Chapter. The organization is working with Yellowstone Park and a Montana scientist to try to save the Park's only native trout species.

Yellowstone Lake is frozen now. When the ice melts, it reveals North America’s largest high elevation lake, and the home to Yellowstone’s famed cutthroat trout.

East Yellowstone Trout Unlimited spokesman Dave Sweet remembered, “Years ago I used to come here from Arizona, I’d make a pilgrimage to Yellowstone park every summer, just to fish for those cutthroat trout, along with hundreds if not thousands of other people.” Dave Sweet doesn’t fish in Yellowstone anymore. He says the cutthroats just can’t be found.

Sweet explained, “The population for Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout, has declined from about 4 million in that lake system to currently less than 10% of that number.” And, the animals that eat Cutthroat, including grizzlies, otters, and eagles, are facing the disappearance of a food source.

What’s happening to the Cut throat? An introduced species, Lake Trout is eating them. Sweet says the Park has spent $3 million dollars to gill net them since the early nineties. But, he explained, “Meanwhile the lake trout population has increased dramatically.”

Sweet says a scientist with Montana State University and the U.S. Geological Survery wants to study ways to kill lake trout eggs in their spawning beds. That study would cost about $169,000. His East Yellowstone Trout Unlimited chapter is trying to raise the money.

As he teases the rising trout in the Shoshone River, the Chapter president, Bob Capron explains why he cares, “I just like the idea of keeping the complete ecosystem intact, and just saving what used to be here.” North Fork Anglers in Cody is almost 60 miles from Yellowstone Lake. Yet the business owner is donating to the cause.”

The business owner, Tim Wade said, “Yellowstone Cutthroat is a very crucial part of that environment, very crucial. And to have it jeopardized or threatened in any way is a good way to spend money, or volunteer money, or donate money to eradicate the money and restore the native cutthroat population.”

If you want to know how you can help support the research, contact Dave Sweet at (307) 527-9959.