K
KenU
Member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2006
- Messages
- 209
It is pretty well established that brown trout compete with brook trout for living space in coldwater streams. In Pennsylvania brown trout have displaced brookies in nearly all of our limestone streams. In many of our better freestone streams, browns are now the dominant species. But we still have a lot of freestone streams with healthy brook trout populations. Many also hold, to some degree or other, brown trout as well.
I just got a bunch of references to articles and reports that deal with the effects of gill lice on brook trout. Gill lice seriously threaten brook trout in streams with mixed brook/brown trout populations. Brookies in streams of Wisconsin with mixed brook/brown trout populations were seriously degraded by these parasites. Browns, which don’t host the gill lice species that infects brookies, are not affected. During drought and warm water periods, brookies can become infected by gill lice to the extent that browns can outcompete and replace them. This may be good news for those who favor brown trout, but it is a serious threat to the only native salmonid living in our streams.
I just got a bunch of references to articles and reports that deal with the effects of gill lice on brook trout. Gill lice seriously threaten brook trout in streams with mixed brook/brown trout populations. Brookies in streams of Wisconsin with mixed brook/brown trout populations were seriously degraded by these parasites. Browns, which don’t host the gill lice species that infects brookies, are not affected. During drought and warm water periods, brookies can become infected by gill lice to the extent that browns can outcompete and replace them. This may be good news for those who favor brown trout, but it is a serious threat to the only native salmonid living in our streams.
