SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico officials plan to use a pesticide to help re-establish a native Gila trout population, but some scientists say the chemical could pose health risks for humans and other species.
The New Mexico Game and Fish Department says the pesticide, rotenone, has been safely used to kill invasive fish species for years. The department hopes to use rotenone to kill off remaining populations of rainbow and brown trout in parts of Whitewater Creek and its tributaries, giving the threatened Gila trout a better chance of survival.
Recent studies have linked rotenone exposure to an increased likelihood of developing Parkinson's disease. Some scientists say the pesticide's effect on humans and the environment should be studied further.