Pat Byorth, Trout Unlimited

Patrick Byorth is a fisheries biologist turned laywer who works for Trout Unlimited. Byorth joined the Montana Water Project of Trout Unlimited as a staff attorney in August 2009 and became director of the Montana Water Project in 2013. His work at Trout Unlimited focuses on restoration of instream flows and habitats to benefit native and wild fishes through community-based efforts.

He spent nearly 17 years as a fisheries biologist with Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, working to restore Arctic grayling, Yellowstone and westslope cutthroat trout in their native waters.  As a fisheries biologist managing the renowned Madison and Gallatin river basins, Pat watched over mountain lakes, reservoirs, and streams large and small. During a building boom in the area, he was deeply involved in permitting and land use planning issues, attempting to ensure streams and fisheries were not overlooked by development. Pat shifted gears in 2006, entering the legal profession to focus on water law, instream flow restoration, and water policy reform, earning a J.D. at UM School of Law in 2009. He earned a B.A. in biology and chemistry from Carroll College and an M.S. in fish and wildlife management from Montana State University.  Patrick served as president of the Montana Chapter of the American Fisheries Society and was recognized as the Chapter’s Fisheries Professional of the Year in 2006. He was the founding chairman of Montana Aquatic Resources Services, Inc., an aquatic mitigation company innovating new strategies for restoring Montana’s streams, lakes, and wetlands.