WildEarth Guardians

Monday, September 25, 2006
Jeremy Rohrlich: Citizen Speaks Up for Clean Water, Wild Forests

Testimony of Jeremy Rohrlich
Contact: WildEarth Guardians

As a fly fisherman, the cold, clear, trout-filled streams of northern New Mexico are of utmost importance to me. I have traveled from Montana to Patagonia in search of big trout and wild places, and yet the steep creeks and native cutthroats always draw me home. New Mexico is blessed with a network of streams and creeks loaded with trout and surrounded by fir-covered ridges, aspen-laden valleys and daunting peaks.

The Pecos is full of tiny, delicate creeks, many of which are home to native cutthroat trout. However, the watershed is threatened by needless road building, development, and irresponsible recreational use. The designation of the Pecos River Headwaters as Outstanding National Resource Water will be a big step forward in the protection of this key resource.

As a fly fishing guide, I derive income from visitors from around the world who come to northern New Mexico to fish our unique high mountain streams. The potential of catching native cutthroats on a small, wild stream, high in the mountains, and miles from civilization is what draws fly fishermen and women to New Mexico.