Registration is open for the 10th Annual Native and Wild Trout Conference on Thursday, April 11 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Arizona Game and Fish Department headquarters, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, in Phoenix. Registration must be completed by April 8 at www.az-tu.org for this free event.

The event provides a free educational conference for those interested in meeting, networking, and developing future plans for management and conservation of native and wild trout in Arizona and New Mexico.

The 2019 conference will again have more than 100 attendees from more than 35 various organizations and agencies from the southwest.

Opening the conference will be Arizona Game and Fish Department Director Ty Gray and the keynote speaker is Chris Wood, CEO and President of Trout Unlimited.

The agenda will include the topics of:

• Keynote Speaker: Chris Wood, Trout Unlimited CEO and President
• Apache Trout Recovery in Arizona: Bryan Giordano, AZGFD
• Gila Trout Recovery in Arizona: Julie Carter, AZGFD
• Propagation of Gila Trout in Arizona: Kyle Tulisiak, AZGFD
• Native Trout Restoration in New Mexico: Jill Wick, N.M. Department of Game and Fish
• Distinguished Service for Conservation Awards: John Jordan and Gary Stinson, Trout Unlimited
• Converging Conservation and Angling to Involve Citizen Science Support for Restoration of Gila Trout: Jim Brooks, Retired US Fish and Wildlife Service
• Southwest Native Trout Strategy: Brad Powell and Toner Mitchell, Trout Unlimited
• Fate of Stocked Trout: Zach Beard, AZGFD
• Lees Ferry. Glen Canyon Dam Management and Fishery Plans: Chris Cantrell, AZGFD and John Jordan, Trout Unlimited
• Rise to the Future: US Forest Service - Yvette Paroz, US Forest Service
• Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI): Joe Miller and Nate Rees, Trout Unlimited
• In the News Again - Public Lands and Uranium Mining: Brad Powell, Trout Unlimited

Presentations and materials from prior conferences can be found at www.az-tu.org.

The conference has become a model in developing relationships for conservation organizations with state and federal agencies for native and wild trout conservation projects, which reach beyond native fish to restoration and management of watersheds for the benefit of all wildlife.

Contact:

Nick Walter, Public Information Officer

(623) 236-7214, nwalter@azgfd.gov

AZGFD