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NFC: arizonas fish
Arizona's Native Fish at Risk
Overgrazing, heavy logging and dams threaten Arizona's native fish
populations. Of 31 species of native fish in Arizona, 18 are threatened
or endangered according to the federal Endangered Species list and five
are already extinct. Among them are the Apache trout, razorback sucker,
spikedace, loachminnow, bonytail chub, desert pupfish, Little Colorado
River spinedace and the Colorado squawfish.
The Southwest Center for Biological Diversity is working to protect these
fish and their habitat. The Southwest Center advocates the removal of
cattle from sensitive riparian areas and the construction of fencing to
exclude cattle from these areas, streamside restoration projects, and
watershed protection. Without native fish we can expect to see a
continual decline in water quality, sensitive riparian plants, and fewer
songbirds such as the Southwest willow flycatcher.
Threats to Native Fish Grazing in riparian zones
Stocking of non-native fish
Deforestation
Roadbuilding
Dams and reservoirs
WE ARE WORKING TO PROTECT NATIVE FISH
Filed suit in January, 1996 against the US Fish and Wildlife Service for
failure to get the Forest Service to designate critical habitat along the
Gila, San Pedro and Verde rivers for the endangered loach minnow and
spikedace.
Appealed permit renewals for 9 grazing allotments on the
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in February, 1996 to protect habitat
for the Apache Trout, endemic to the White Mountains.
Filed suit against the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the
Coconino National Forest in April, 1996 to increase the outflow from the
Blue Ridge Reservoir into East Clear Creek which has designated critical
habitat for the Little Colorado River Spinedace.