The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public comments on a proposed rule and draft Environmental Assessment on their proposal to re-establish the rare Rio Grande silvery minnow in its historic range in the Big Bend reach of the Rio Grande in Texas. The Service is proposing to designate a non-essential experimental population area in the Rio Grande in Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Presidio, Brewster, Terrell, and Val Verde Counties, and in the Pecos River in Val Verde, Terrell, and Crockett Counties. A copy of the proposed rule and related information is available online at: http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/AustinTexas/.
A public hearing on this proposal will be held in Alpine, Texas, on October 10, 2007, at Sul Ross State University, Gallego Center, Room 129, East Highway 90. The hearing will begin at 7:00 p.m. and last until 8:45 p.m., with informal questions and answer session beginning at 6:00 p.m. Residents, State, County and local officials, landowners, farmers, recreationists and others are encouraged to comment on the draft proposal and accompanying draft Environmental Assessment to reintroduce experimental populations of the small fish that once inhabited the entire river. Comments will be accepted during the meeting, can be faxed to (512) 490-0974, or can be mailed to: Adam Zerrenner, Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 10711 Burnet Road, Suite 200, Austin, Texas, 78758. For more information, to obtain documents by mail, or to submit comments via e-mail, please contact Aimee Roberson at (432) 837-0747, or Aimee_Roberson@fws.gov. Comments must be submitted by 1November 5, 2007.
The Rio Grande silvery minnow currently inhabits 170 miles of the Rio Grandes 1,885 miles. Other than this middle portion of the river in New Mexico, the fish hasnt been seen for decades in the rest of the Rio Grande, the nations third longest river system. The reintroduced fish would be considered a non-essential experimental population under section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act. The Act encourages experimental reintroductions as a way to help recover a species while keeping Federal regulations to a minimum. A non-essential experimental population places no burden on private landowners and water users.
-1 "We believe establishing an experimental population will help ensure the long-term survival and recovery of this species," said Benjamin N. Tuggle, Ph.D., Regional Director of the Services Southwest Region. "There are private, local, state, and Federal partners who are already doing important work to improve the Rio Grande in the Big Bend reach, which also creates and improves habitat for the Rio Grande silvery minnow. By using this technique, we have leeway in which to work with local citizens and other agencies while taking their concerns into account, so that current and future water uses and activities will not be restricted." The draft rule proposes to begin releases of captive-bred Rio Grande silvery minnows in the spring or summer of 2008. "Experimental reintroductions can be a great aid in the recovery of threatened or endangered species," said Tuggle.
The Service proposes to place minnows into the area from Mulato Dam (near the western border of ; Big Bend Ranch State Park ; ) to Fosters Weir, east of the Terrell/Val Verde County line. This is the extent of the area that the Service expects the minnow will become established because it contains suitable habitat for this species. However, a larger geographic area is being proposed for designation of a non-essential experimental population ; area in order to capture the maximum extent to which a fish might move. The entire area designated for the experimental population would encompass Little Box Canyon downstream of Ft. Quitman, Hudspeth County, Texas, through Big Bend National Park and the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River, to Amistad Dam and the nearby railroad bridge (Big Bend reach of the Rio Grande), as well as the Pecos River from its confluence with Independence Creek to its confluence with the Rio Grande.
The Service contracted for a study examining the suitability of the habitat in the Big Bend reach of the Rio Grande for the Rio Grande silvery minnow. "The study indicated that there is a reasonable likelihood that Rio Grande silvery minnows will survive in this portion of the Rio Grande," said Tuggle. "It also pointed out the need for habitat restoration projects, such as removing salt cedar, giant river cane, and other invasive, non-native species."
Proposed reintroductions are part of a larger recovery effort already underway by the Service, Federal and State agencies, and other partners for the Rio Grande silvery minnow in the Middle Rio Grande. Rio Grande silvery minnow eggs are collected from the wild in New Mexico each year and are raised in captivity to provide individuals for captive propagation and augmentation of the wild population. These efforts have allowed biologists to gain the necessary knowledge to conduct reintroductions. Reintroductions can take place on private or public lands, but only with direct consent from the land owner or manager.
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 97-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 547 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.
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