Crews aim to rid Virgin River of nonnative fish in Utah, Arizona

PHOENIX — Wildlife officials plan to rid the Virgin River of an invasive fish in an effort to save an endangered minnow.

The work by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and the Virgin River Program is scheduled to begin the week of June 9. It could be delayed depending on river flows and weather.

The endangered woundfin is threatened by the more fertile, non-native red shiner in a 17-mile stretch of the river in far northwestern Arizona and southwestern Utah. Crews plan to salvage the woundfin from that area before applying the chemical rotenone to kill the red shiner.

Officials said the red shiner had moved up from Lake Mead into the upper reaches of the Virgin River.