No. 294, 3/22/2002 1093

NEW MEXICO AND COLORADO: FEDS TO REVIEW STATUS OF RIO GRANDE CUTTHROAT TROUT

The Center for Biological Diversity has reached a legal settlement with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to review New Mexico's state fish, the Rio Grande cutthroat trout, for listing as an endangered species under the federal Endangered Species Act. The agency has committed to completing a status review of the species and issuing a new listing decision by 6-4-02.

On 2-5-98, the Center for Biological Diversity and other groups petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the Rio Grande cutthroat trout, as an endangered species. The colorful trout formerly occurred throughout the higher elevations of the Rio Grande river basin from southern New Mexico(and possibly Texas) to southern Colorado. Despite acknowledging that the fish has disappeared from 95% of its range due to logging, livestock grazing, road construction, and introduction of exotic fish, the Fish & Wildlife Service declared that Endangered Species Act listing was not warranted on 9-14-98. The Center filed suit to overturn the decision on 6-9-99, leading to the 11-8-01 settlement.

The case was argued by Jay Touchton of Earthjustice (Denver).