Update | Yellowstone Fish Kill

The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission will hold a conference call Thursday at 12 p.m. Mountain Time to hear updates on the Yellowstone River parasite and fish kill.

During the call test results – including those expected late Wednesday – from fish samples taken on various stretches of the Yellowstone and its tributaries will be discussed. Management options moving forward and any other new information available at that time will be considered. The status of the river closure and which stretches may be re-opened will also be part of Thursday's conference call.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks began surveying the Yellowstone River on Friday, Aug. 12 after receiving reports of numerous dead mountain whitefish.

Scientists have determined the catalyst for this fish kill is Proliferative Kidney Disease, which is caused by a microscopic parasite.

To date FWP staff has counted more than 4,000 dead whitefish and small numbers of other species including rainbow trout, Yellowstone cutthroat, longnose suckers, sculpin and longnose dace.

FWP has confirmed the fish kill as far upstream as near the border of Yellowstone National Park to Grey Bear Fishing Access Site (west of Big Timber) – nearly 100 river miles.

Samples collected of live, dying and dead fish since Aug. 13 were sent to, and have been processed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Bozeman Fish Health Center. On Friday, Aug. 19, FWP closed the Yellowstone River between the northern boundary of Yellowstone National Park and the Highway 212 Bridge in Laurel. The closure was imposed to protect the fishery and help limit the spread of the parasite to adjacent rivers through boats, tubes, waders and other human contact and minimize further mortality in all fish species.

The Commission conference call will be streamed live on FWP's website and at each of the department's regional headquarters offices and its main headquarters office in Helena.

For more information, check on the Fish and Wildlife Commission:http://fwp.mt.gov/doingBusiness/insideFwp/commission.