Thursday September 5, 2024
Cronkite News —
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland declared Wednesday that Arizona’s state fish, the Apache trout, will be removed from the endangered species list – a conservation success story decades in the making.
“After more than 50 years of devoted efforts among federal, state, tribal and nongovernmental organizations, the incredible recovery of the Apache trout reminds us of the transformational power that collaborative conservation efforts – grounded in Indigenous knowledge – can have on fish and wildlife,” Haaland said at an announcement event in Mesa.
“This recovery is a testament to the importance of the Endangered Species Act and its tools and resources that are allowing the Interior Department and the federal government to protect vital species in every corner of America,” she said.
The Apache trout was listed as endangered in 1967 under the federal Endangered Species Preservation Act and later gained protection with passage of the Endangered Species Act in 1973.