It’s a wrap: A new graphic vinyl wrap covers the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Southwest Region’s fish distribution truck. The beautiful images symbolize the breadth of fisheries conservation performed across the Southwest.
Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery in Oklahoma raises alligator gar and paddlefish in concert with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and our Texas Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office. Paddlefish recently returned to Caddo Lake after a long hiatus. Alligator gar grow to an enormous 13 feet long in the wild, offering original and distinctive angling experiences.
Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery raises endangered razorback suckers along the Colorado River in Arizona, along with rainbow trout for anglers.
San Marcos Aquatic Resources Center in Texas conserves the rarest of aquatic organisms, fish, mussels, plants, and amphibians. Passing motorists will see a Texas blind salamander on the truck’s tailgate. It’s eyeless—and a ghostly pale white.
The rarest of trout, Apache trout from Arizona and Gila trout from New Mexico, portray the work of Alchesay Williams Creek National Fish Hatchery, Mora National Fish Hatchery, the Southwestern Native Aquatic Resources and Recovery Center, and our Arizona and New Mexico Fish and Wildlife Conservation Offices. Fish biologists are waist-deep in recovering these trout so enjoyed by anglers.
Anglers across the Southwest enjoy catching channel catfish that come from Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery in Texas. That’s also where this truck is housed. The rig puts on more than 15,000 miles a year getting fish where they need to be. Its next assignment: deliver endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow from Uvalde National Fish Hatchery in Texas to its namesake waters.
Honk if you see us on the road. Meanwhile, visit fws.gov/southwest.