Feds seek insight into the lives of blind Texas fish

By Michael Doyle | 07/31/2024 01:55 PM EDT

The Fish and Wildlife Service says it needs more time to examine the science while considering protections for two species of small fish that live in an aquifer.

The toothless blindcat, above, and widemouth blindcat, below, live in the aquifer below San Antonio.

The toothless blindcat (top) and widemouth blindcat (bottom) live in the aquifer below San Antonio. Both species of catfish measure just a few inches. Hendrickson Lab/Ichthyology Collection at the University of Texas, Austin/Fish and Wildlife Service

Two species of blind cave-dwelling fish that inhabit an important Texas aquifer have spurred a fierce scientific debate that may now accelerate.

Citing the “substantial disagreement” among scientists, the Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday gave itself an additional six months to decide whether the toothless and widemouth blindcats require Endangered Species Act protection. The extra innings to resolve a scientific tie come as politicians and nonscientists, too, wrangle over a proposal to list the two species as endangered.

“There has been ongoing disagreement regarding the interpretation and accuracy of the best available information pertaining to the status of toothless blindcat and widemouth blindcat populations,” the FWS stated.

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The scientific disagreements cover everything from the species’ respective life histories and the extent of their available habitat to the impact of groundwater wells in the city of San Antonio. The FWS explained that the “substantial nature” of these disagreements “became evident” during a public comment period that itself had been extended beyond the usual deadline.

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