Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has announced that an emergency public fish salvage will begin June 1 at Nee Noshe Reservoir on Queens State Wildlife Area.

Nee Noshe Reservoir is located in Kiowa County, about 21 miles north of Lamar and 12 miles south of Eads, according to CPW.

In a press release, CPW said that because of the ongoing drought and reduced reservoir operations, Nee Noshe Reservoir is drying and not expected to fill up in the foreseeable future. Because the entire fishery could be lost, CPW decided to authorize the public salvage to “optimize use of the fishery resource.”

“Nee Noshe Reservoir is experiencing the effects of ongoing drought and reduced reservoir operations, and current conditions indicate the reservoir is unlikely to refill in the foreseeable future,” said Jim Ramsay, CPW aquatic biologist, in the press release. “With the potential loss of the fishery, this public salvage gives anglers an opportunity to utilize the resource while conditions still allow.”

A valid Colorado fishing license is required, and current size, bag, and possession limits are suspended for Nee Noshe Reservoir until the emergency public fish salvage is lifted. Anglers also only may use angling methods currently legal at the reservoir.

CPW will announce the end date of the salvage when conditions change or the salvage is complete.

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