The Confederated Salish-Kootenai Tribes have drafted a proposal for a “pilot project” for suppressing lake trout in Flathead Lake — a proposal that includes an aggressive netting effort.

A draft memorandum of understanding was prepared by the tribal fisheries program staff “as a way to start discussions” on how to manage the lake after a 10-year co-management plan with the state expires at the end of next year, said Clayton Matt, head of the tribal natural resources department.

The tribes’ position is that goals in the co-management plan for suppressing the lake trout population were not met through angler-based approaches, such as increasing the catch limit from five to 50 lake trout along with fall and spring Mack Days tournaments specifically designed to remove lake trout.

Suppressing lake trout, a non-native species, is intended to benefit native bull trout, which were listed as a threatened species in 1998.

The co-management plan set an annual harvest target of 60,000 fish to be reached by 2008.

“This target was not met, providing evidence that agency action in addition to fishing contests would likely be necessary to achieve the goal of the plan,” the draft memorandum states.

That tribes’ proposed action is outlined in an attachment document:

“The goal of this Pilot Project is is to reduce the high numbers of younger lake trout less than 26 inches in total length by 25 percent by 2012 by using a combination of anglers (including fishing contests) and netting,” it states.

The current annual lake trout harvest by anglers is estimated to average about 50,000 fish.

For 2010, the pilot project proposal calls for a harvest of 60,000 fish by expanding the Mack Days tournament program and setting 200 gill nets on the lake. The target for 2011 is 80,000 fish, to be met mainly with more gill netting, and the target for 2012 is 100,000 fish by setting an estimated 1,000 300-foot-long gill nets.

That kind of program would be highly controversial among lake trout anglers and business interests around the lake, and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials are highly aware of it.

“We did not participate in the development of those documents,” Jim Satterfield, the department’s regional supervisor, said of the draft memorandum. “Right now, the department is working with the tribes to reach an agreement on a facilitated discussion of the co-management plan and where to go from here.”

While the tribes put a major emphasis on recovering native species such as bull trout, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has a dual mission of conservation as well as providing fishing opportunities.

The department has a large constituency of license-purchasing anglers who may vigorously oppose netting on Flathead Lake because lake trout are the lake’s main sports fishery.

“This would be a huge impact to the lake,” said Bob Orsua, owner of Mo Fisch fishing charters on Flathead Lake. “No [angler] that I’ve talked to would be in favor of this.”

Orsua has been invited by the tribes to participate in a task force that would be in charge of implementing the memorandum of understanding as well as the pilot project.

Orsua said the impacts of increasing the lake trout harvest may not be foreseeable, and whether it actually would help bull trout is uncertain.

“There are more questions than answers,” said Orsua, who believes that the increased angling pressure under the co-management plan already has had an impact on the lake trout population.

“I’ve gone from 13 fish per charter down to 2.3 fish per charter over the last five years,” he said. “There are fewer fish to catch. In areas where we saw an abundance of fish, we are seeing fewer fish.”

Aside from charter fishing operations, Orsua contends that a depleted lake trout fishery would have substantial economic impacts on all types of businesses around the lake.

Satterfield said Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials cannot take something such as the tribes’ netting proposal lightly.

He said the department’s legal counsel has determined that such an effort would have to be preceded by a full environmental impact statement and public review process.

“It’s reasonable to say that when you’re talking about removing 50,000 fish from the largest natural lake in the West that probably rises to the level of an EIS,” Satterfield said. “It’s a substantial impact on the environment and the public.”

Matt said tribal leaders understand the state’s position.

To whatever degree an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement is needed, it will be done, he said. “We’re looking at that from our side as well. We’ve initiated internal discussions about that.”

The tribes propose that joint discussions with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and other “stakeholder” agencies and interests get under way in January and February. Matt said those meetings have yet to be scheduled.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com