Apaches Save Arizona's State Fish!

This is a short but very important article because it demonstrates the impact of “Native Unity” when a tribe can get together, through a business enterprise, to save one of America’s endangered species.

The Apache Trout, State Fish of Arizona, has been brought back from the brink of extinction by the White Mountain Apache Tribe. The trout’s numbers have already grown significantly through the tribe’s William Creek Fish Hatchery. Wildlife managers are counting down the days when the yellowish-gold fish has recovered enough to be taken off the federal endangered species list.

“The White Mountain Tribe still faces some hurdles”, said, John Kaid, who manages the tribe’s wildlife and outdoor recreational programs. We are dedicated to preserving the trout”, he emphasized. “No matter what happens, it’s always going to be a continuing effort to protect the headwaters of the surrounding rivers and creeks.” Kaid affirmed the need to educate fisherman and keep non-native species of fish out of the waters.

The tribe’s hatchery, south of Hondah, produces more than 1.2 million eggs per year and is able to stock Central Arizona streams and lakes for sports fishing.

The recovery of the once endangered Apache Trout is now going ”swimmingly”.

This story by Shann McKinnon has been edited from the pages of the September 6th edition of “The Arizona Republic”.