The Sun News

In response to the article “Space for Native Species” that ran in the New Mexican on Aug 15th. Another version of the article was published in the Aug 23rd issue of the Taos News entitled “Space for Native Species to Come Home”.

The cozy title and Pollyanna coverage of this insane fish-killing project belies the fact that the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish (NMDGF) poisoned the upper reaches of Comanche Creek which already IS home to indigenous pure Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout (RGCT). The very fish they are claiming to “save” have been electroshocked, narcotized, inserted with microchips, and transported to foreign environments (hatchery and pond) where they are at risk of contracting whirling disease or just plain not surviving. In the meantime, their precious habitat in what should be protected waters of the Valle Vidal has been poisoned with an extremely toxic pesticide called CFT Legumine. Far from assurances this product is “not harmful to people and animals,” the label warning for humans and domestic animals states this product “May be fatal if inhaled or swallowed.” That is why personnel were wearing hazmat suits and respirators when mixing and deploying this product.

CFT Legumine will kill all fish, most macroinvertebrates (primarily bug larvae), and some young amphibians. Rare macroinvertebrate species may be lost forever and although the “number” of macroinvertebrates may return to pre-poisoning levels, the community make-up will be permanently altered. In short, an unknown number of macroinvertebrate species will NOT be “coming home.” The impact of this project on the northern leopard frog, a Forest Service sensitive species, is also unknown. It is likely many of these amphibians will not be “coming home” either. The active ingredient in CFT Legumine is rotenone, a highly toxic chemical with a mechanism of action similar to cyanide. The majority of the product is comprised of diethylene glycol ethyl ether (DEGEE), which is listed as a mutagen and reproductive toxin by NIOSH and is considered a “hazardous air pollutant” under the Clean Air Act. The other “inert” ingredient is n-methyl pyrrolidone which is also a reproductive toxin. One Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) states that if n-methyl pyrrolidone enters a water course or contaminates soil or vegetation, you should call the police! None of these chemicals are “gone” in eight hours. They will persist in wetland and backwater areas for at least weeks or months or flow downstream. The potassium permanganate that is released at the downstream end of the project area is itself toxic to aquatic life and will not neutralize all the chemicals present. It is highly likely that DEGEE, small amounts of derivatives of benzene and naphthalene (both cancer-causing chemicals), and incompletely neutralized rotenone and n-methyl pyrrolidone will flow past irrigation intakes for organic farms in the Costilla and Amalia areas and even further downstream.

To sum up, the NMDGF is setting out to slaughter life in 176 miles and 35 lakes by putting poison in the cleanest waters we have. And for what? To satisfy a fishing fantasy of a small, but influential, group of fishermen. They want to catch RGCT that are swimming with Rio Grande suckers instead of white suckers. It is important to realize this project has little to do with “saving” the RGCT or even keeping it from the Endangered Species list, since the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has stated the RGCT is not imperiled and the agency has no intention of “listing” it. NMDGF claims the goal of this project is to remove non-native trout, and yet it is NMDGF who is responsible for these fish being there in the first place. Even though NMDGF admits non-native trout are the biggest threat to native trout, including RGCT, they continue to stock 5 tons of non-native fish per week in the state. They are even still stocking rainbow trout in the R. Costilla where they later plan to poison. This senseless cycle must stop.

A more ecological approach to restoring the RGCT trout would include stocking RGCT instead of non-native fish in RGCT habitat; choosing a reasonable genetic purity standard that counts fish that look, act and reproduce like RGCT as “pure”; improving habitat; removing unwanted fish with nets and intensive fishing; and taking advantage of natural events that eliminate fish to stock pure RGCT. This approach would protect the RGCT, keep our water clean, prevent harm to other species, and still provide lots of quality fishing.

Ann McCampbell, MD, is a physician interested in environmental health. She is Chair of the Multiple Chemical Sensitivities Task Force and works to protect humans from toxic chemicals, especially pesticides, and to protect ecosystems from pollution and degradation.