Lawsuit filed to force decision on protections for Nevada fish

TUCSON, Arizona (KOLO) - The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to force a decision on whether it will protect Nevada’s Fish Lake Valley tui chub under the Endangered Species Act.

The suit was filed in Tucson and also seeks protections for Utah’s least chub.

Their suit says the Service is violating the Endangered Species Act by delaying action on the species, which they say are engendered by groundwater pumping.

“These small fishes are an incredibly important part of the Great Basin’s natural heritage, and they’re teetering on the brink of extinction,” said Krista Kemppinen, Ph.D., a senior scientist at the Center. “The longer the Service waits to protect these fishes the greater the chance that they’ll disappear forever. We’re in the midst of an extinction crisis and these little minnows are running out of time.”

The Center has sought protections for the fish since 2021.