National Park Service 

U.S. Department of the Interior Grand Canyon National Park 

Bright Angel Creek 

Non-Native Trout Reduction

Grand Canyon National Park

Brian Healy, Clay Nelson, Emily Omana Smith, Rebecca Koller, a

Ward 

Joe Tomelleri Illustrations E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R 
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R 

Cooperators 

•Funded by Reclamation and NPS 

•Volunteers (several thousand hours) 
Project Background 

 Trout initially introduced to GCNP,1920’s and 

 Greatest concentration of Brown Trout occurs in 

Angel Creek and its confluence with the Colora

 Brown Trout prey on and may compete with nat

(Whiting et al. 2014, Yard et al. 2011) 

 Non-native trout control: Conservation Measur

Humpback Chub in Biological Opinion (USFW2011) 

 NPS Comprehensive Fisheries Management P

(CFMP) 2013 

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R 
Objectives 

 Conduct comprehensive trout reduction efforts 

and the BACI for 5 consecutive years. 

 Through the reduction of non-native fish: 

 Enhance and restore native fish populations in B Contribute to overall conservation of Humpback 

 Components 

 Installing and operating a weir  Electrofishing for monitoring and removal in BAC  Electrofishing for monitoring and removal in BAC

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R 
Monitoring Metrics 

 Non-native fish: 

 Overall reduction of the non-native fish population in  Changes in abundance and size structure over time 

 Native fish: 

 Maintain or increase native fish  Evaluated by abundance,

recruitment & survival

 Adaptive Management Strategy 

 Evaluation project results  Possible adaptation of methods to 

achieve desired outcomes

*All data presented are considered preliminary
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R 

Weir 

BNT 

2012‐2013 NPS 176 2013‐2014 NPS 13 

2014‐2015 NPS 71 

2015‐2016 NPS 2 

 October 1st –M

 Checked twice 
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R 

Project Background/Method

 Comprehensive trout reduction efforts will occu

consecutive years-as an experiment.

 Evaluate project results  Possible adaptation of methods to achieve desi

outcomes (reduced nonnatives/maintain or incrnative survival, recruitment, and abundance)

 Actions 

 Installing and operating a weir  Electrofishing for monitoring and removal in BA Electrofishing for monitoring and removal in BA

Bright Angel Creek Annua

Electrofishing Effort

 October –Febr

 8-10 people, ~
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R 

Bright Angel Creek Annua

Electrofishing Effort 
Population Estimates 

Estimated Fish Density/1000m 

Meters x 1000 from the Mouth to Headwaters 
In progress

Population Estimates 

Estimated Fish Density/1000m 

Meters x 1000 from the Mouth to Headwaters 
Total Catch by Reach 
Total Catch by Reach 

211 

56 

2133 700

4148 

2773 

1245 
Total Catch by Reach 

2939 

8342 

238 

35 

2129 

5 
Total Catch by Reach 

175 

20 

207 160 

111 

50 

1 
Total Catch by Reach 

16 FMS 
Brown Trout Size Structure 
Rainbow Trout Size Structu
Biomass of Trout Removed 

985,592 

124,603 

640,347 

79,835 

438,675 

0 

200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 

1,000,000 1,200,000 

Brown Torut Rainbow Trout 

Biomass (g) 

Species and Year 

2012-2013 2013-201
Biomass of Trout Removed 

985,592 

124,603 

640,347 

79,835 

438,675 

0 

200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 

1,000,000 1,200,000 

Brown Torut Rainbow Trout 

Biomass (g) 

Species and Year 

2012-2013 2013-201

35% and a 31% in biomass betweyears 1 and 2, and 2 and 3 for BNT55% reduction from year 1 to year (January 12th) 
Biomass of Trout Removed 

985,592 

124,603 

640,347 

79,835 

438,675 

0 

200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 

1,000,000 1,200,000 

Brown Torut Rainbow Trout 

Biomass (g) 

Species and Year 

2012-2013 2013-201

35% and a 12% in biomyears 1 and 2, and 2 and 44% reduction from year (January 12th) 
Bluehead Sucker Size Structu
Bluehead Sucker Size Structu
Bluehead Sucker Survival 

0.5 

0.55 

0.6 

0.65 

0.7 

0.75 

0.8 

0.85 

0.9 

0.95 

1 

Nov.2010 to Jan. 2011 Jan. 2011 to Nov.2011 NOv.2011 to Jan. 2012 Jan. 2012 to Nov. 2012 Nov

Blueh
Bright Angel Creek Inflow– 

Electrofishing  Cooperative effort with GCMRC 

 Goal of 80% trout reduction = 10 depletions  2013-2014 Pilot study and February 2015 

 High Flow Experiments  Flooding in tributaries = High turbidity  Resulted in two trips conducted in high turbidity

confounding results 

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R 
Bright Angel Inflow– Electrofis

BNT, 84 

CRP, 8 

FMS, 270 

BHS, 120 

SPD, 1 

2013-2014 2014-2

BNT, 332 

RBT, 1375 

CRP, 18 

FHM, 3 

PKF, 1 

BBH, 1 

FMS, 

90 

BHS, 31 

HBC, 1 

SPD, 1 
E X P E R I E N C E Y E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R 

O U R 

Beneficial Use 

 To date: > 49,000 

trout to beneficial use 
Summary – 

 Completed 4th year of comprehensive trout reduction e

1 more year left..... 

 Efficiently removing trout in BAC using backpack el

fishing 

 Decrease in overall abundance (pop estimates) 

 Size class shift  Decreased biomass 

 Electro-fishing doesn’t appear to be impacting native fis

negatively

 Bluehead Sucker survival is high  Speckled Dace abundance remains high  Increased abundance and distribution of SPD, BHS

FMS 

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R 
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R 

Phantom Ranch Boat Beach, circa 1911 

Questions?