In 1967, the Gila Trout was one of the first species to be listed under the Endangered
Species Act. The road to recovery has been a rocky one for the Gila, marked by setbacks brought on by catastrophic wildfires.

In 2006, the fish was downlisted from a status of endangered to one of threatened. As a
result, limited fishing for Gila trout was opened be the NM Department of Game and Fish in 2007.

Trout Unlimited has participated in the recovery of the fish in both New Mexico and
Arizona.

In 2006, TU was awared a Collaborative Forest Restoration Program Grant from the US Forest Service. The primary purpose of this grant is to complete 89,000 acres of prescibed burn in the Aldo Leopold Wilderness to reduce fuel loads to limit the possibility for catastrophic wildfire.

Work continues to re-introduce Gila trout to more stream in both New Mexico and Arizona as it is still in a perilous position. There is currently work ongoing in the West Fork of the Gila River primarily to build a replicate population of the Whiskey Creek lineage of Gila trout. This lineage remains the most at risk.

NMTU is also looking at undertaking a restoration project on Black Canyon creek, in the Black range. This is one of the streams that has been opened to Gila trout fishing. The NM Environment Department currently has an EPA 319 grant to do habitat work and is looking for partners. If you are interested in this project, contact William Schudlich.

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