MOAB, Utah — Anglers fishing on the Colorado, Green, and San Juan Rivers may know that roundtail chub are only found in those waterways, but these native fish are in need of conservation.
That's why the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has partnered with Moab to create a nursery pond to increase their population.
Thirty-one roundtail chub were stocked into Old City Park Pond in Moab, the second such pond after Cottonwood Pond in Emery County.
“The purpose of this nursery is to grow and then restock roundtail chub back into the river systems to help increase their populations throughout the Colorado River Basin,” said DWR Native Aquatics Biologist Tyler Arnold.
Roundtail chub, named for their round shape where their fins and body connect, are one of the larger minnow species that are native to the Colorado River system.
Dams and diversions led to their decline, as well as climate change and invasive predator fish, which biologists have now worked to remove.
Predators include northern pike, channel catfish, smallmouth bass and walleye.
Because of these ongoing conservation efforts, roundtail chubs were recently reclassified as a sport fish last year.
“It is really exciting to see the conservation success of this species and to be able to help their populations continue to recover, said Arnold.
"Efforts like this new nursery pond will help keep this species from being listed under the Endangered Species Act and will allow more people to get to enjoy them.”
