Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife

P.O. Box 1480,

Window Rock, Arizona  86515

Phone: (928) 871-6450

Fax: (928) 871-7069

Website: www.nndfw.org

Contact: Glenn Selby, Fish Biologist

Fisheries management on the Navajo Nation falls under the Research and Management Section of the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife.  The Department of Fish and Wildlife’s mission is to conserve, protect, enhance, and restore the Navajo Nation’s fish, wildlife, and plants through aggressive management programs for the spiritual, cultural, and material benefit of present and future generations of the Navajo Nation

Fisheries management on the Navajo Nation entails a recreational fishing aspect as well as a native fish component. 

Management of recreational fishing on the Navajo Nation involves stocking lakes, monitoring fish populations for abundance, growth, and size and age structure, as well as operation of the Navajo Nation Tribal Fish Hatchery located in Toadlena, NM, where Rainbow trout are raised from eyed eggs to stock out.  The Navajo Nation offers both warm water (Ganado, Morgan, Cow Springs, Many Farms) and cold water fishing opportunities (Asaayi, Wheatfield, Tsaile, Berland, Cutter Dam).  Warm water opportunities consist of Largemouth bass, Bluegill, and Channel catfish.  Cold water fisheries consist primarily of Rainbow trout.  Brown trout are also found in some cold water fisheries on Navajo (Wheatfield Lake and Cutter Dam).  NNDFW currently stocks rainbow trout annually in Wheatfield Lake, Asaayi Lake, Tsaile Lake, Cutter Dam, and Berland Lake.  Channel catfish are stocked annually at Ganado Lake, Cow Springs Lake, and Many Farms Lake as water levels permit.  Channel catfish are also found in Morgan Lake.  Other recreational lakes may be stocked at various times when water levels and conditions are suitable.  Current lake conditions and fishing reports can be found at www.nndfw.org.

Management of native fish on the Navajo Nation is focused within the San Juan River and Little Colorado River basins.  NNDFW is actively involved in conservation efforts aimed at restoring native fish populations in both the San Juan and Little Colorado basins.  Management efforts within the LCR are focused on Humpback chub.  Conservation efforts in the San Juan River have been primarily focused on Razorback sucker and Colorado pikeminnow.  NNDFW operates a fish passage on the San Juan River located near the Nenahnezad Chapter House.  NNDFW also operates grow-out ponds for Razorback sucker that are eventually released into the San Juan River.  Conservation efforts are also focused on Zuni bluehead sucker, Bluehead sucker, and Speckled dace, all of which are native to parts of the Navajo Nation.