Being a regional fisheries manager comes with the challenge of balancing often conflicting interests, but Mark Deleray is well-suited for the challenge.

Why? He’s been around the fisheries management block in Northwest Montana for 23 years, and he’s a fan of fish of all stripes.

“When I was a kid I loved to fish and that’s where my interests formed for fisheries,” said Deleray, who succeeded Jim Vashro as the Region One fisheries manager for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks about a month ago.

Deleray, 51, said he’s a “generalist” when it comes to fishing, and he plies all types of waters for all types of fish using different techniques and equipment.

“I’m not kidding. I’m up for anything when it comes to fishing,” he said.

That’s a good quality to have when dealing with anglers who are passionate about fish species that often compete or prey on one another, particularly in Northwest Montana.

“That is one of the great things about Region One — there is a huge diversity in fishing,” Deleray said. “All that diversity creates a diversity of issues ... That’s the other side of it.”

One of the more well-known conflicts comes between native species such as bull trout and non-natives such as lake trout. That is the conflict at the heart of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks not partnering with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes over a controversial netting project aimed at suppressing lake trout numbers on Flathead Lake.

Critics contend it will decimate lake trout, the only popular sport fishery on the lake, but advocates say it is a necessary endeavor to increase the bull trout population.

A Flathead Lake co-management plan between the state and the tribes expired in 2010, but developing a new plan “is an ongoing discussion,” said Deleray, who noted that the state and the tribes work together on many other aspects of fish and wildlife management.

“You hear about the rough spots, but I think we need to look at our entire working relationship” with the tribes, he said. “We continue to work on a lot of things, collaboratively.”

Deleray reflected on the state’s broad mission for fisheries management.

“The goal has always been the same — to conserve our fishery resources for future generations,” he said. “The challenge is the playing field is always changing.”

Whether it’s illegally introduced species, providing adequate public access to state waters or changing water quality, “nothing is static in fisheries management,” Deleray said.

For example, the region currently has 36 fishing access sites, which may seem like a lot, but not when a person considers just how much water there is in Northwest Montana.

“Some of these access sites, in the summer, are over capacity now,” said Deleray, who regards acquiring new access to be increasingly harder to do, simply because of rising costs and fewer opportunities.

“We’ll continue to pursue new access where possible, when the opportunities arise,” he said.

Deleray said another big issue facing Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is a significant budgetary shortfall that is forecasted for the agency. There will be a public meeting May 17 on the matter, and it is possible there will be proposals to increase license fees, a move that would require legislative approval.

“We’re going to have to make serious cuts in our services and programs, depending on the outcome of this next legislative session,” he said.

Overall, Deleray said he is looking forward to his new job.

“From a personal standpoint, I see it as a challenge,” he said. “On the professional side, there’s a lot of opportunity to do good work in this region.”

Over the last 23 years, Deleray worked under Vashro in Kalispell, the last 18 years as fisheries management biologist for all waters in and around the Flathead Valley, with the exception of the Swan, Middle Fork and South Fork drainages of the Flathead River system.

Prior to that he worked as a biologist for the state of Washington and spent a year as a fisheries technician in Townsend. 

He earned an undergraduate degree at the University of California-Berkeley and a master’s in fish and wildlife management at Montana State University. 

Deleray and his wife, Cindra, are active in outdoor activities. Their daughter, Anna, was an All State soccer player for Glacier High School and now attends the Colorado School of Mines. Their son, Kade, is a junior at Glacier and was an All Conference soccer player.

Deleray, who played soccer at Berkeley, has coached numerous soccer teams in the Flathead Valley.

“I haven’t done that in a few years, but it really is fun to work with the kids,” he said. “It is rewarding. It’s fun to see them work and improve.”

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

“From a personal standpoint, I see it as a challenge,” he said. “On the professional side, there’s a lot of opportunity to do good work in this region.”

Over the last 23 years, Deleray worked under Vashro in Kalispell, the last 18 years as fisheries management biologist for all waters in and around the Flathead Valley, with the exception of the Swan, Middle Fork and South Fork drainages of the Flathead River system.

Prior to that he worked as a biologist for the state of Washington and spent a year as a fisheries technician in Townsend. 

He earned an undergraduate degree at the University of California-Berkeley and a master’s in fish and wildlife management at Montana State University. 

Deleray and his wife, Cindra, are active in outdoor activities. Their daughter, Anna, was an All State soccer player for Glacier High School and now attends the Colorado School of Mines. Their son, Kade, is a junior at Glacier and was an All Conference soccer player.

Deleray, who played soccer at Berkeley, has coached numerous soccer teams in the Flathead Valley.

“I haven’t done that in a few years, but it really is fun to work with the kids,” he said. “It is rewarding. It’s fun to see them work and improve.”

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