A note from Peter Unmack, Arizona-Nevada NANFA Regional Representative

March 19-22, 1998, saw a successful conservation trip to the southeastern portion of Nevada. Members from several conservation orientated clubs participated in this event including the Bay Area Killifish Association, North American Native Fishes Association, Northern California Killifish Club, and Tropical FishKeepers Exchange. A great fun filled weekend was had by all. Our first effort was concentrated on the Moapa River near Glendale. Tilapia (Oreochromis aureus) had recently invaded parts of the upper springhead near the Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge. Great gobs of tilapia were found throughout the spring outflow along with a good numbers of mollies (Poecilia mexicana) and damnbusia (Gambusia affinis). A few native springfish (Crenichthys baileyi moapae) and Moapa dace (Moapa coriacea) were also seen but they were far rarer than the section without tilapia. Further downstream near the old powerstation diversion dam fish were virtually non existent. Electrofishing revealed virtually no fish except a couple of exotics. Gill nets were set overnight in the ponds down at the power plant. Last year Jim Heinrich (Nevada Division of Wildlife) caught good numbers of Virgin River chubs (Gila seminuda) here.  The only fishes caught by us were more great gobs of tilapia (some up to 16 inches) and a few baby mollies were observed. The Moapa is indeed a pretty sick system at this point in time.

Our second destination was the Virgin River at Mesquite. Both woundfin (Plagopterus argentissimus) and Virgin River chubs have been released here from hatchery stocks here. The fish have small metal tags which allow them to be distinguished from wild fish. Good numbers of most native fish were found including speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus), flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis), and desert sucker (Pantosteus clarki) as well as the two stocked natives. Red shiners (Cyprinella lutrensis) were present, but in lower numbers than usual. While the riverine environment looked to be in really healthy shape it doesn't last very long. According to Jim Heinrich, water diversions during summer virtually dry this stretch of river leaving the fish little suitable habitat and elevated water temperatures. We moved upstream into Arizona to the mouth of Beaver Dam Wash primarily to collect desert suckers for genetic work by Carol Secor, a graduate student at Arizona State University. Fortunately good numbers of suckers were found along with hundreds of speckled dace! That evening saw us camp further upstream in Beaver Dam Wash at a delightful campground. Here we were finally able to see some Virgin River spinedace (Lepidomeda mollispinis), the rarest native fish in this drainage.

All in all a great time was had by all participants. I'd like to thank all those who made the effort to come along and help. Special thanks go to Ellen Siegal who did a fantastic job feeding the group. Also, thanks again to Jim Heinrich for allowing us the opportunity to get involved and for making arrangements. All collecting in Nevada was done under his supervision, collecting in Arizona was conducted under state and federal permits.

Best Fishes

Peter J Unmack
peter.unmack@asu.edu