The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering theBig Bend area as a possible site in which to reintroduce the very rareRio Grande silvery minnow.
Three scoping meetings are planned to seek information on all potential issues and impacts. All meetings start with an informational session at 5:30 p.m. The formal meeting begins at 7 p.m. with a presentation followed by people giving comments, suggestions or recommendations.
-- September 20 in Sanderson at the Sanderson Community Meeting Hall, 108 Hackberry St.
-- September 21 in Alpine at Sul Ross State University, Gallego Center, Room 129, East Hwy 90.
-- September 22 in Presidio at the Presidio Activity Center, 1400 East OReilly St.
The proposal is available on the internet at http://ifw2es.fws.gov/Mexico/. To request a paper copy or a compact disc, please call (505) 761-4710, or write to the New Mexico Ecological Services Field Office at 2105 Osuna NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87113. Information, comments or questions are welcome at each meeting or may be mailed to the above address by October 7. Written comments may also be sent by facsimile to (505) 346-2542 or by e-mail to R2FWE_AL@fws.gov.
The fish is a native of theRio Grande basin but only exists inNew Mexico's middle reach of theRio Grande. The Service is considering putting fish into theBig Bend area to help stabilize and eventually recover the fish that was once abundant. The Endangered Species Act encourages experimental reintroductions as a way to help recover a species while keeping federal regulations to a minimum.
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 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources 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 and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
-http://southwest.fws.gov-
