Invasive Red Shiner Eradication in the Virgin River of Southwestern Utah

In 2002, local, state, and federal partners collaborated to form the Virgin River Resource Management and Recovery Program (VRP) in order to address the threats to native fish species by eradicating invasive Red Shiner. VRP partners constructed three fish barriers on the mainstem Virgin River and applied piscicide (rotenone) treatments. The fish barriers act as velocity barriers during high streamflow events to prevent upstream fish movement during flooding. Two rotenone treatments were conducted two weeks apart in 2021 to fully eradicate Red Shiner from over 65 miles of the Virgin River across Utah and Arizona. Post-treatment monitoring confirmed the 100% eradication.