Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Wyoming/Utah ...Local Chambers of Commerce and state wildlife departments have joined forces to fight back against an unwelcome visitor in Lake Flaming Gorge. The culprit is an illegally stocked fish known as a burbot or ling. This invasive species has been recently found in Flaming Gorge and is already having a devastating effect on the sport fishery.

"We are really concerned about this aggressive predator adversely impacting kokanee salmon populations in the lake", says Ryan Mosley, Flaming Gorge Project Leader for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR). "We've documented burbot utilizing kokanee eggs and juvenile fish up to 14 inches. The kokanee population is already suppressed, and now we are observing further impacts with this new predator."  Fish biologists in Wyoming have seen similar impacts on the smallmouth bass fishery in the northern parts of Flaming Gorge.

In response to this threat, the Green River, Rock Springs and Flaming Gorge Chambers of Commerce have joined to promote the Burbot Bash - a week long fishing derby to be held January 22-29, 2011. These chambers will work in partnership with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

"We are excited about using the Burbot Bash as a forum to increase public awareness of this new threat to the Flaming Gorge fishery", says Janet Hartford, executive director of the Green River Chamber of Commerce. "It is also a great way to introduce anglers to the family-friendly sport of ice fishing that is so popular throughout the winter on Lake Flaming Gorge."       

Burbot are best caught at night and in the winter, so ice fishing is very productive for this problem species. There is no catch limit in Lake Flaming Gorge for burbot and state game officials in both Wyoming and Utah encourage anglers to harvest as many as possible.

"One approach to suppressing the burbot population is to enlist the assistance of anglers to harvest and remove as many as possible," said Craig Amadio, Fisheries Biologist for Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD). " Burbot are vulnerable to over-harvest so anglers can have a significant impact on populations.  The Burbot Bash is a terrific opportunity to drive that message home and increase public interest in burbot fishing.  We need anglers to help manage their resource by helping to control this threat to the fishery.  One way they can do that is by coming out to the Bash to have some fun, assist the WGFD and UDWR with collecting important data, and possibly win some cash!"

The Burbot Bash will kick off with a Fishing Expo on Saturday, January 22^nd at Buckboard Marina, located south of Green River Wyoming along Lake Flaming Gorge. . The Expo will feature fishing tips, demonstrations on cleaning and cooking the fish, free prize drawings and presentations on ice fishing safety.

Throughout the next week, the Derby is on! Teams of up to 4 anglers can complete for over $10,000 in cash and prizes.

A unique feature of the Burbot Bash Derby is the opportunity for anglers to catch specially tagged fish. A select number of burbot have been implanted with internal tags, which can only be identified with specialized electronic readers. State fish biologists hope to learn more about the extent of the burbot problem in Flaming Gorge based on tag return data. Information from the tagging program will allow biologists to determine a variety of information about the species, including movement, migration, survivability, growth rates and population estimates.

The catch? Tournament anglers will not know if they have caught a tagged fish of not. Therefore, all burbot caught will need to be checked in and scanned for tags at the state inspection sites that will be open daily throughout the derby.

All anglers catching a tagged fish will be entered into a drawing for cash prizes. The grand prize drawing for catching a tagged fish is $5,000. "This tagged fish drawing allows anglers who can only fish one evening to still win in this derby", said Craig Collett, president of the Flaming Gorge Chamber of Commerce.

The Derby will conclude with a prize award ceremony featuring the tagged fish drawing and a burbot fish fry on Saturday, January 29^th at the Manila Rodeo Grounds in Manila, Utah. "Both opening and closing events are open to all the public", reminds Hartford. "You do not need to enter the Derby to come out with your family and have fun at this great winter event."

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