04-10

Contact: Jim Nickles, 916/414-6572

Surveys Will Collect More Information on Species' Health and Range

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that it cannot conclude that the midvalley fairy shrimp is in need of Federal listing under the Endangered Species Act. The Service reached this conclusion after assessing the best scientific and commercial information available on the past, present, and future threats faced by this species. The small crustacean is found in shallow seasonal wetlands known as vernal pools in Sacramento, Solano, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Merced, Madera, Fresno and Yolo counties in California 's Central Valley.

Today's decision comes in response to a petition – filed in August 2001 by the Center for Biological Diversity and VernalPools.Org – to list the midvalley fairy shrimp as endangered. On April 29, 2003 the Service announced a 90-day finding that the petition presented substantial evidence to indicate that the listing may be warranted. Since then, the Service has conducted a detailed study known as a status review.

“The Service has commissioned new survey efforts and will continue to review any new information concerning the status of the midvalley fairy shrimp,” said Wayne White, field supervisor of the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office. “The information will help us monitor and encourage the conservation of the species.”

From what the Service knows of the current range and distribution of the species, the midvalley fairy shrimp is well represented on protected lands and in areas with little or no current threat. Additionally, existing regulatory mechanisms under the California Environmental Quality Act, the Clean Water Act, and the ESA – while not directly applied to the midvalley fairy shrimp – are likely to moderate the rate and extent of habitat loss for this species. As a result of these factors, the Service finds that the species is not in danger of extinction in the foreseeable future.

A complete description of the Service's finding on the midvalley fairy shrimp is published in today's Federal Register Notice(PDF)(TEXT). More information is available at the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office's Endangered Species Program web page-vernal pool species information.

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Facts and Frequently Asked Questions About the 12-Month Finding
on Midvalley Fairy Shrimp

The midvalley fairy shrimp is a small (0.28 to 0.79 inch) freshwater crustacean that lives in vernal pools, vernal swales and other ephemeral water bodies near the middle of California 's Central Valley. It is limited to 52 known or potential sites in eight California counties: Sacramento, Solano, Yolo, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Merced, Madera, and Fresno. Midvalley fairy shrimp survive seasonal desiccation of their pools by laying dormant eggs called cysts, which can withstand extreme temperatures, the digestive tracts of animals and, if necessary, years of dessication before hatching. Since not all cysts hatch with any given refilling of their pool, the cysts form a sort of “seed bank” in the soil, which can produce new populations of adults in pools that have not had them for years. These habitat requirements and life history characteristics are similar to those of four other shrimp species listed by the Service in 1994: the Conservancy fairy shrimp, the longhorn fairy shrimp, the vernal pool fairy shrimp and the vernal pool tadpole shrimp. However, the midvalley fairy shrimp has a smaller overall range, and tends to use shallower pools, than these other species.

Q. What is a “not warranted” finding on a petition to list? 

A. A “not warranted” finding is one of several conclusions in the listing process, which determines if a species needs protection and inclusion on the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Species. Under the Endangered Species Act, five main criteria determine whether to list a species, all focusing on the existing and future threats to the species' survival. In order to list a species, the Service must follow a strict legal process known as rule making and conduct a thorough evaluation of the best scientific and commercial information available. The listing process may be initiated by the Service or by a petition from an individual or organization outside the Service. After receipt of a petition, the Service conducts an initial study, known as a 90-day review, to determine whether listing may be warranted. If so, the Service then conducts a comprehensive study, known as a status review, to decide whether to go ahead with a full listing proposal. The Service must decide whether listing is warranted, warranted but precluded by other higher-priority actions, or not warranted.

Q. Why does the Service believe the midvalley fairy shrimp does not currently warrant listing?

A. Although vernal pool habitat continues to be lost in parts of the midvalley fairy shrimp's range, from what we know of the current range and distribution of the species, it is well represented by occurrences on protected lands and in areas with little or no current threat. Additionally, although several development projects and land use changes are affecting known occurrences, their effects are being mitigated, and the Service is not aware of any that is likely to disappear in the near future due to habitat loss. Existing regulatory mechanisms under the California Environmental Quality Act, the Clean Water Act, and the ESA – while not directly applied to the midvalley fairy shrimp – are likely to moderate the rate and extent of habitat loss for this species, both directly and as an indirect benefit of conservation efforts undertaken for the other listed vernal pool crustaceans. As a result of these factors, the Service finds that the species is not in danger of extinction in the foreseeable future.

The Service has commissioned a study that will focus on gaps in the current known range and distribution of midvalley fairy shrimp. It is scheduled to be finished in the summer of 2004. The Service will continue to accept additional information and comments from all concerned governmental agencies, the scientific community, industry, or any other interested party concerning this finding.

Q. Where can I find more information on the midvalley fairy shrimp or a complete record of these findings? 

A. For more information on the midvalley fairy shrimp, please visit our Web site at http://www.fws.gov/sacramento. The 12-month finding is published in the Federal Register. You may find it posted on their Web site, or you may request a copy from the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office at (916) 414-6600.

More Questions?

Write or call:U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, Endangered Species Division
2800 Cottage Way , Room W-2605
Sacramento , CA 95825
(916) 414-6600

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses 542 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.

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Contact us: Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-2605, Sacramento, California 95825
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