SAVING THE RIO GRANDE CUTTHROAT TROUT

Large numbers of Rio Grande cutthroat trout once swam the cool, clear waterways of southern Colorado and New Mexico. Even famed conservationist Aldo Leopold — who condemned state and federal agencies’ harmful fish-stocking practices — once recognized that New Mexico’s streams teemed with beautiful, native trout. Yet the current generation of these red-bellied fish faces considerable threats with competition from nonnative species and pervasive livestock grazing hampering its chance at survival. Nowadays, New Mexico’s official state fish inhabits less than 10 percent of its historic range — but the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has failed to provide any real protections to its dwindling populations.

The Center first petitioned to list the Rio Grande cutthroat trout under the Endangered Species Act a decade ago. The Service responded that the trout was unlikely to become endangered and decided instead to rely on much weaker conservation measures. Luckily, o ur persistence on behalf of the trout has paid off to some degree. After we returned to court seeking to overturn the agency’s decision, the Service announced that enough new information was available to reconsider our original request. The Service eventually found that the trout’s situation warrants protection — but the agency is still engaging in its usual stall tactics by claiming that any such action is precluded by “more important” work. In the years since we first sought endangered status for the trout, we have further initiated campaigns to end livestock grazing in the Southwest and to restore all native trout species.