150 Fishes to Celebrate 150 Years
This list is still in progress and being added to weekly. Check back again soon!
150 Fishes to Celebrate 150 Years
In 2020, the American Fisheries Society will celebrate its 150th Anniversary. As part of the celebration, the Society will be calling attention to 150 fishes. We solicited nominations of fishes for the list by the Society’s membership.
The 150 Fishes list is a celebration of the biodiversity of freshwater and marine fishes of North America. These fishes will help tell the story of fish and fisheries of the continent. They may illustrate unique life histories, beauty, conservation issues, and challenges of managing and conserving these animals and their habitats. These fishes represent our native biodiversity, but also illustrates how invasives and our own human nature have had impacts on our aquatic resources. Hence, this list will primarily focus on native species but may include non-natives when they tell a compelling fisheries story. From the stories of these fishes, the Society and the public can learn to better appreciate these amazing natural resources and be challenged to ensure that future generations will be able to experience these fishes in their native settings.
Nomination Process
Fish nominations are now closed.
Circulation Process
The 150 Fishes list will reside at the 150th Anniversary Website, information about individual fish from the list will be circulated through various social media platforms throughout the year.
This list is meant to be a fun for members and informative for the public. It is unlikely we will be able to include all nominations. We acknowledge that every fish has a story. There may be opportunities to discuss all the nominated fishes in the future.
FULL LIST OF NOMINATED FISH
| Catchy Title | The Verde Trout |
|---|---|
| Common Name of Fish | Roundtail Chub |
| Scientific Name of Fish | Gila Robusta |
| Image of Fish |  |
| Image Caption and Credit | Photo Credit: Arizona Game and Fish Department |
| Description of Why This Fish Is Important/Interesting | Along the Verde River in Central Arizona there are rumors of a special trout species known only as the Verde Trout. Locals celebrate this fish as a prized sport fish, but the Verde Trout is no trout at all. It is actually a fish know as the Roundtail Chub, a member of the minnow family endemic to the cool and warm water streams in the Colorado River Basin in the Western United States. They have an olive-gray body with a white underside and are well adapted to the arid climate of the southwest. Roundtail Chub are aggressive predators and occasionally reach sizes larger than 400 mm (16 in). They typically inhabit deep slow moving pools in rivers and streams adjacent to fast flowing habitats. Currently, only the state of Arizona recognizes Roundtail Chub as a sportfish, but their aggressive nature makes them a fun target for anglers. |
| Website or Journal Article for More Information | https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/arizona/Documents/Redbook/Roundtail%20Chub%20RB.pdf |
| Your Name | Zachary Beard |