Fisheries manager honored with special award

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 1 fisheries manager Jim Vashro, of Kalispell, recently received the Montana Wildlife Federation’s Special Conservation Achievement Award. The award was presented at MWF’s 77th annual meeting in Helena on April 28.

The award recognized Vashro’s extensive contributions to the fisheries resource and to education in Northwest Montana. Vashro has been FWP’s fisheries manager in Northwest Montana for more than 30 years.

“Jim is very deserving of this award,” Flathead Wildlife, Inc. president Chuck Hunt said. “He’s devoted countless hours promoting youth fishing programs to make sure kids today have the opportunities to get outdoors and appreciate fishing and natural resources.”

Some of his major accomplishments include establishing family fishing ponds across Northwest Montana, education activities with kids and women, new fishing access sites including Pine Grove Pond and Lake Five, crusading against illegal fish introductions, and wilderness regulations in the South Fork Flathead River.

“Over the course of his career, Jim has probably taught more kids to fish than anyone else in the state,” Region 1 supervisor Jim Satterfield said. “Also, anyone who has cast a line in Northwest Montana is indebted to Jim’s tireless fish management efforts.”