Rare Nevada fish 'staring down the barrel of extinction' could earn endangered species protections
An olive-colored minnow only found in southwestern Nevada is one step closer to life-saving federal protection after years of advocacy.
The Fish Lake Valley Tui Chub, which gets its name from its threatened habitat in Esmeralda County, Nevada, is an olive-brass fish only found in a single spring and a pond outside its native range, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) says the fish species' historic range included other bodies of water near Dyer, Nevada, but other populations have all expired. Changes in the Earth's climate dried up the Fish Lake Valley Tui Chub's larger habitat more than 500,000 years ago, isolating them to a small spring on the valley floor.
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On Wednesday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service filed a petition to list the fish as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
This milestone is years in the making. In March 2021, the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the fish as an endangered species. A 2022 study by the USFWS found the petition warranted further action.
According to the USFWS petition, experts have determined that the small fish is threatened by agricultural production and land management practices, the effects of climate change on its habitat, and competition with invasive species.
Great Basin Director for the Center for Biological Diversity Patrick Donnelly said in a statement that the rare fish could become extinct because of groundwater pumping for agriculture, including alfalfa for livestock.
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"The Fish Lake Valley Tui Chub is staring down the barrel of extinction, and only the Endangered Species Act can save it now," Donnelly said. "We're going to keep fighting to save it and the remarkable biodiversity of Fish Lake Valley."
The Center for Biological Diversity said impending mining and energy projects in the area will only worsen matters. The center filed a lawsuit to stop the Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine from moving forward because of its threats to biodiversity.
"The Fish Lake Valley Tui Chub is barely clinging to existence. I'm thrilled these fish are poised to get the life-saving protections they urgently need," said Donnelly. "Nevada has already lost so many native fish species. We can't afford any more extinction."The petition from the USFWS opens a 60-day comment period before further action.Original article source: Rare Nevada fish 'staring down the barrel of extinction' could earn endangered species protections
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