Yellowstone Lake and the greater Yellowstone ecosystem is the last remaining native habitat of Cutthroat Trout, a highly prized species for sport fishing in Montana. These native fish, which are a key ingredient in a multi-million-dollar tourism and recreation industry in Montana and the Yellowstone region, are being threatened by non-native Lake Trout. The larger, aggressive Lake Trout feed on Cutthroat, so the National Park Service is aggressively seeking out and removing Lake Trout from the Yellowstone Lake region. We propose to use airborne lidar (laser radar) and spectral imaging to help identify Lake Trout spawning locations in Yellowstone Lake during the spawning season in September 2004. This represents the initiation of a new research component of the optical remote sensing program at Montana State University, heavily leveraged with the temporary donation of a state-of-the-art fish lidar from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and with a graduate student fellowship from partners at the NASA Stennis Space Center.
| Mail: | Dr. Joseph A. Shaw |
|
Electrical & Computer Engineering Department |
| Montana State University | |
| Bozeman, MT 59717 |
| E-mail: | jshaw@montana.edu |
| Phone: | (406) 994-7261 |
| FAX: | (406) 994-5958 |
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