Contacts
Steve Martarano (916) 414-6571
SACRAMENTO - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced the creation of the Bay-Delta Fish and Wildlife Office (BDFWO). The new field office will focus on conservation issues related to the increasingly vital Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta.
“We face a future of many challenges – population growth, climate change – and it’s vital we work with our partners to plan actions that will both promote conservation of natural resources and provide water for people.” said Ren Lohoefener, regional director of the Service’s Pacific Southwest Region. “Creating the Bay-Delta Fish and Wildlife Office co-locates the Service with other federal and state agencies to help solve the crucial issues facing Californians in the rapidly evolving Delta region.”
The office is located at 650 Capitol Mall in downtown Sacramento.
The BDFWO staff’s immediate mission is to strengthen the Service’s collaboration in the multi-agency Bay Delta Conservation Plan, which will guide actions needed to reduce risks to species such as delta smelt and salmon, and provide for improved reliability of water supply and delivery. Staff will work with key partners CalFED and the National Marine Fisheries Service as a first step in implementing the recent multi-agency MOU signed by the Secretary of the Interior (California Bay-Delta Memorandum of Understanding Among Federal Agencies). The office is just blocks away from the state’s Natural Resources Agency and Departments of Fish and Game and Water Resources.
Other issues currently facing the new office include implementing the December 2008 biological opinion on the Long-Term Operational Criteria and Plan for the state's two main water projects, as well as working collaboratively with other state and federal partners on the Two Gates Fish Demonstration Project.
Leading the new office is Dan Castleberry, former Fisheries Program Manager for the Pacific Southwest Region. Castleberry brings extensive experience working with Central Valley and Delta water issues to his new position as Field Supervisor for the BDFWO. The Service envisions Castleberry’s office to be staffed by 30 Service employees.
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The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work in California, Nevada and the Klamath Basin in Oregon, visit www.fws.gov/cno .
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