MESA, Arizona (AP) — U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced Wednesday that the Apache trout, Arizona’s state fish, has been removed from the federal endangered species list after more than five decades of recovery efforts.

Haaland traveled to Arizona for the announcement, which is being hailed as a major conservation success, as the first game fish and trout have been removed from the list.

“This recovery is proof of the importance of the Endangered Species Act and the tools and resources that enable the Department of the Interior and the federal government to protect important species in every corner of America,” Haaland said.

She credited the combined efforts of federal, state and tribal officials, along with $5.1 million from the Biden administration’s Investing in America program. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, White Mountain Apache Tribe Chairwoman Kasey Velasquez and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Deputy Director Siva Sundaresan joined Haaland in the effort.

The Apache trout is found only in the streams of the White Mountains of eastern Arizona. It is one of two trout species native to the state and is sacred to the White Mountain Apache Tribe.

The fish was protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 due to habitat loss and introduction of non-native species. Subsequently, it was moved to the endangered list in 1975.