Will Our State Fish Survive? :: essays research papers fc

Will Our State Fish Survive? The Rio Grande cutthroat trout, the state fish of New Mexico, is a threatened species that needs more attention from the citizens and politicians of New Mexico if we want to see it survive and flourish in its natural environment. The Rio Grande cutthroat was placed on the U.S. Government Federal list of threatened species in 1973, but was never listed on the endangered species list (American Fisheries Society 1988). Maybe it should be placed on the Federal Endangered Species list, since it only inhabits less than ten percent of its native range and can only survive well in headwater streams that do not contain any other fish species (Neary 1999). Environmental groups are filing lawsuits against the federal and state government to get the cutthroat on the Federal Endangered Species List. The state government refuses to put it on because they feel that the problems with population, hybridization, and diminishing habitat can be solved without putting it on the endangered species list. I f the government decided to put the cutthroat on the endangered species list, they would be forced to create a recovery plan and designate a â€Å"critical habitat† (Neary 1999). The government is reluctant since it will cost them a huge amount of money, time, and labor. The government claims they have been taking steps to preserve the â€Å"threatened† cutthroat, which is indeed true. Yet, the results are not outstanding. If their methods were working, the cutthroat would have been taken off the threatened list years ago. Why is it so important to protect this fish? As native New Mexicans, we need to take interest in our state fish and help protect it. If this species were to become extinct it would be a tragic loss. Our state fish is in danger of vanishing from the world forever. Doesn’t that say something about the way we have treated our resources? The Department of Game and Fish doesn’t seem to think so. The extinction of the cutthroat would disrupt the ecosystem because they would no longer feed on the native plants, flies, and worms. Anytime an animal is taken away from an ecosystem it has effects on the surrounding area and the creatures that live within it. For example, if you kill every coyote in the state of New Mexico the population of jackrabbits would climb to a record high because they have no predators.