Times have been better for the hornyhead chub, the speckled darter and the northern hog sucker.

These are some of the 44 native Kansas fish species that are dwindling in population and need more protection under state wildlife regulations, according to a study released Monday by a group of biologists from across the state.

One of the study’s authors, Lawrence resident Joseph Collins, said he hoped it would raise public awareness that what’s affecting fish could someday affect humans.

“You have to realize there’s an element that these creatures share with us, and that’s water. They play in it, live in it, have a great time in it, and we drink it,” said Collins, a herpetologist with the Kansas Biological Survey. “We have to watch them a lot more than we’re watching them now. We need to census them regularly, and we need funding to do that.”

Of the 116 fish species native to Kansas, the state now lists five species of fish as endangered, 11 species as threatened and 23 species as “in need of conservation.” Scientists are recommending that nine of these fish remain at their current status, and 44 species of fish have elevated status.

Putting the species on the list would draw attention to their problems and could require builders to get special permits for doing work around streams where the fish live, Collins said.

The study doesn’t go into detail about what’s causing problems for each species of fish. But in general, Collins said, fish in western Kansas are threatened by the diversion of water for agriculture, and fish in eastern Kansas are threatened by pollution.

“I think the continued disappearance of native fish species should be a warning sign to human beings that our water quality has deteriorated and it continues to deteriorate,” said Charles Benjamin, of Lawrence, an attorney and lobbyist for the Kansas chapter of the Sierra Club.

Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks

Doug Nygren, chief of fisheries for the Wildlife and Parks department, said he agreed the fish “need some attention,” but he said it was unlikely the recommendations in the study would happen soon. The department just finished a review of the list, which happens every five years.

“They kind of missed the deadline for having serious consideration for this proposal,” he said.