In recognition of the need to address range-wide threats to brook trout, the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture (EBTJV) was formed in 2005. However, as interest in native species conservation has increased, substantial resources are being directed towards brook trout restoration. Many brook trout populations continue to be impacted by historic land cover alterations and competition with non-native trout. Because of their higher tolerance to warmer temperatures, rainbow and brown trout were introduced to replace brook trout as a recreational and sustenance fishery. For example, following widespread forest clear-cutting at the turn of the 19th century in the southern Appalachians, brook trout streams were decimated by overfishing, and significant warming occurred due to a lack of canopy cover (King 1942).
Historically, brook trout conservation was a low priority for resource managers due to the perception of brook trout as a low value fishery relative to introduced salmonids.
