Critical habitat refers to specific geographic areas that are essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and which may require special management considerations. These areas do not necessarily have to be occupied by the species at the time of designation.
A designation does not set up a preserve or refuge and only applies to situations where Federal funding or a Federal permit is involved. It has no impact on landowners taking actions on their land that do not involve Federal funding or permits.
"We are currently evaluating the economic effects of the proposed designation and seeking public input in the decision process," said the Services Southwest Regional Director Nancy Kaufman. "Although the time is short because of the court order, we want to give the public every opportunity to participate in this important conservation decision."
The Service is asking the public to provide written comments on the proposal until January 24, 2000. Comments should be submitted to Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2321 W. Royal Palm Rd., Suite 103, Phoenix, Arizona 85021.
The Service also will hold three public hearings on the proposal. Hearings will be held from 7:00-9:30 p.m. on December 15 in Silver City, NM (Light Hall, Western New Mexico University) and Thatcher, AZ (Lee Little Theater, Eastern Arizona College), and on December 16 in Camp Verde, AZ (Camp Verde Unified School District Multi-Use Complex Theater).
Federal agencies must consult with the Service before taking actions, issuing permits or providing funding for activities that might adversely modify critical habitat. Historically, relatively few projects have been stopped or significantly altered as a result of such consultations. The Service believes that economic activities such as grazing can be compatible with conservation of the spikedace and loach minnow provided that habitat is maintained in good condition.
Both the spikedace and loach minnow require perennial streams, where they inhabit shallow riffles with sand, gravel, and rubble substrates free of fine sedimentation; moderate to swift currents; and swift pools over sand or gravel substrates. The Service proposes to designate stream habitat, including areas potentially inundated by high-flow events, for the spikedace (822 miles) and the loach minnow (894 miles) in portions of the Gila, San Francisco, Blue, Black, Verde, San Pedro rivers and some tributaries in Apache, Cochise, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Pima, Pinal, and Yavapai counties in Arizona, and Catron, Grant, and Hidalgo counties in New Mexico.
Both fish are less than three inches long. The spikedace is silver-sided and the loach minnow is olive-colored (males are brilliantly colored during spawning) with upward-directed eyes. Both species are threatened with extinction because of habitat destruction and the introduction of non-native fishes and were listed as threatened in 1986.
The Service designated critical habitat for the two species in 1994. However, the 10th Circuit Federal Court determined that such critical habitat designations must comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). As a result, in March 1998, the Service rescinded the designated critical habitat.
Responding to a lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. District Court ordered the Service to reconsider the designation of critical habitat and perform all NEPA compliance requirements and develop Endangered Species Act biological and economic justifications within 150 days by February 17, 2000.
Many of the areas proposed for critical habitat were included in the areas designated in 1994. Other areas proposed as critical habitat are already designated as critical habitat for other endangered and threatened species such as the southwestern willow flycatcher, razorback sucker and cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl.
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 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System comprised of more than 500 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands, and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fish and wildlife management assistance offices and 78 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.
