LAS VEGAS — U.S. wildlife officials are moving to extend federal protections for the endangered Fish Lake Valley tui chub, a rare fish species threatened by severe groundwater depletion amid extreme drought conditions.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is poised to publish a proposal for listing the tui chub as an endangered species in the Federal Register, triggering a 60-day public comment period. This marks a significant moment as it’s the first endangered species consideration during the current administration’s second term.
In 2023, a lawsuit prompted a settlement that required the government to decide whether to protect the tui chub under the Endangered Species Act, which imposes strict regulations against the importing, exporting, and harming of endangered species.
Patrick Donnelly, a spokesperson for the Center for Biological Diversity, emphasized the urgency, stating that Nevada cannot afford to lose any more native fish species. Once found in numerous springs, the tui chub is now restricted to a single system, facing threats from groundwater pumping predominantly for agricultural purposes, alongside the risk of lithium mining and geothermal energy projects.
Donnelly remarked, “The Fish Lake Valley tui chub is barely clinging to existence.” He highlighted that the health of the ecosystem hinges on the wellbeing of this species, as the surrounding wetlands support diverse wildlife reliant on the same groundwater.
The proposal underlines habitat destruction from agricultural activities and climate change as primary threats to the tui chub’s survival. Simultaneously, there are ongoing efforts to roll back habitat protections under the Endangered Species Act, which could exacerbate the risks faced by endangered species like the tui chub.
Environmentalists are raising alarms, asserting that redefining “harm” to exclude habitat modification could lead to significant declines in endangered species populations due to activities such as logging and mining. They emphasize that the established definition of “harm” has consistently included actions that endanger species’ habitats.
