LIVINGSTON, Mont. (AP) - About 50 people attended a public meeting to discuss the state’s closure of 183 miles of the Yellowstone River when a parasite killed tens of thousands of fish late last summer and how a similar occurrence might be handled in the future.
When the fish began dying in mid-August, the state banned all recreation on a section of the river in an effort to prevent the spread of the parasite.
The closure was gradually lifted, but a University of Montana economist estimated Park County lost about $500,000 in visitor spending.
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports (bit.ly/2oi1Alc) business owners at Wednesday’s panel discussion said the state should communicate better and have a clearer plan for re-opening the river if a similar closure is needed.
Regional fisheries manager Travis Horton says now that they’ve had experience with a major die-off, the decisions might be different.
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Information from: Bozeman Daily Chronicle, https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com
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