Spring 2018

All attempted connections afterward between actual experts on bryozoans
and Region 3 FWP, were dismissed in 2016.
After reading countless articles filled with false information between Region
3 Fisheries and the press, as well as a second fish-kill occurring in the
summer of 2017, (when recorded-flows were higher and water temps much
colder), I decided to conduct this in-depth interview.
– What is a Bryozoan?
Bryozoans (literally
“moss animals”) are small, invertebrate animals that
grow as branching colonies attached to submerged surfaces.
Often they resemble brown moss or plant roots and so they
attract little attention. Using tufts of ciliated tentacles
they feed on microscopic particles in the water. In turn,
they provide food and shelter for insect larvae that help
support fish populations. Bryozoans occur in lakes and
rivers worldwide as a normal part of any healthy freshwater
community.
New Information
Q) Would bryozoans be considered an “invasive species” such as zebra
mussels?
A) No, not at all. The bryozoans harboring PKD are well established
across five continents. They occur throughout North America, especially
in cold, flowing waters like the Yellowstone River. By contrast, zebra
mussels invaded North America from Europe about 30 years ago and we
are now seeing them move across southern Asia - a true invasive species.
Q) How is the bryozoan most commonly spread from river to river and
commercial bodies of water?
A) Most freshwater bryozoans produce dormant capsules about the size
of a period in newsprint. Called statoblasts, these can survive freezing,
drying, and other harsh conditions. We know that statoblasts are
easily transported by waterfowl - on the feet, feathers, and even in the
digestive tract. However, I have found bryozoans in glacial lakes at high
elevations where waterfowl seldom go, and I have no idea how they got
there.
MONTANA FLYFISHING