Many NAFF members have been participating in the process led by Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) to develop a trout management plan for the Bull Shoals and Norfork tailwaters. Public involvement has been a cornerstone of the AGFC efforts to do the best possible job of managing our precious trout resources. To that end, Trout Summit meetings were held in Mountain Home on May 14, and May 15, and in Mountain View on May 17. These meetings followed a series of five focus group meetings held in Mountain Home and Allison to help determine the scope of public issues and interest. An advisory group will assist with developing the management plan and with implementing, evaluating and revising the plan. Additional information is available on the AGFC website: http://www.agfc.com/fishing/resources-fishing/trout-in-arkansas/trout_plans/tailwaters_meetings.aspx
Approximately 65 people attended the May 14 and 15 workshops in Mountain Home. Participants had the opportunity to provide their ideas on present and future trout management of the White/Norfork Tailwaters. The meeting format provided opportunities for everyone to express opinions in three main categories: (1) potential goals for the White/Norfork Tailwaters, (2) problems/issues/concern with present management of the White/Norfork Tailwaters trout fishery, and (3) advice/suggestions/recommendations for actions that need to be taken into account in development of plans for the future of these tailwaters.
Attendees sat around tables and shared in these table groups their "goals". "issues", and "advice." At the end of the discussion period, participants at each table identified the most significant idea from their discussions, and this was high-lighted verbally by a representative from each table. All ideas from each table were then posted, and participants could put sticky dots beside the goals they believe they most significant.
Both nights' habitat issues ranked well at the top of the list. Goals included: improvement of water quality-specifically the oxygen problem, improvement of natural biomass, river bank control, pollution and sewer control, elimination of algae, set-back for housing. Habitat issues were related: water quality (low dissolved oxygen, high temperatures, pollution, sediment), unrestrained development, debris (trash) thrown in the river. Related advice included: work with and push for multi-agency-wide cooperation among AGFC ADEQ, COE, Soil and Water, SWPA and EPA, complete implementation of minimum flow ASAP, control development (minimum setback), develop a hot-line for environmental issues.
The author of the report on the Trout Summit added a note at the end of the summary. "..The following topics…seemed to jump off the page and to demand attention: water quality, water flows, stream bank protection, inter-agency cooperation regarding flows, enforcement, quality fish, Didymo, access, and the need to manage some sections of the system differently."
We were encouraged to see a strong mandate from people who care for the environment that the trout…and we depend on.
