News Release

Mount Rainier National Park announces opportunity to comment on proposed rule change affecting fisheries management

Date: January 11, 2022
Contact: Mount Rainier National Park Media Information Line, 360-569-6510

The National Park Service (NPS) has opened a 60-day public review and comment period on a proposed rule change affecting the implementation of the park’s 2018 Mount Rainier National Park Fisheries Management Plan. This change in notification of fishing regulations is a key step in implementing the Fisheries Management Plan. The proposed rule change notification was posted January 11, 2022 in the Federal Register.

Currently, the public must refer to the Code of Federal Regulations to learn about fishing regulations in the park. If this rule change is approved, the public will be able to find all fishing regulations for the park on the park’s website in the Superintendent’s Compendium. Moving all fishing regulations to the compendium allows the park to conserve native fish populations by permitting the take and management of nonnative fish at the local level. By eliminating the restrictions on taking nonnative fish, the park also provides for continued and expanded recreational fishing opportunities and related visitor experiences.

A Fish Management Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) that directs long-term management for fish within lakes, rivers and streams in Mount Rainier National Park was signed in September 2018. Information about the approved Mount Rainier Fisheries Management Plan and prior public review is available on the project website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/morafishmgtplan.

Native fish species, including the threatened bull trout, will be conserved with the continued removal of nonnative fish, including Eastern Brook Trout and Kokanee Salmon. Approximately 35 mountain lakes within the park contain breeding populations of nonnative fish; these fish compete with native fish and amphibians for food and habitat. Mount Rainier National Park has adopted the guidelines of the 2018 Fish Management Plan, and a current Mount Rainier Fish Regulation guide- including images of native and nonnative fish for identification-is posted on the park’s website.

For more information on Mount Rainier National Park, please visit www.nps.gov/mora. To learn more about fishing and boating in the park, please visit the park’s website.

www.nps.gov

About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 423 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities.