Choose a question to jump to the answer:
- What action is the Service taking?
- What are the Big Creek crayfish and St. Francis River crayfish, and where are they found?
- What is causing the decline of the Big Creek crayfish and St. Francis River crayfish in Missouri?
- Why is it important to protect and conserve these crayfishes?
- How does listing the crayfishes as threatened help their conservation?
- What is a 4(d) special rule?
- What is critical habitat?
- How much critical habitat is being designated, and where is it located?
- How does a critical habitat designation affect private land?
- Does a critical habitat designation mean an area is considered a wildlife refuge or sanctuary?
- Now that these crayfish are listed, will the government have free access to my land?
- What is being done to protect and conserve the Big Creek and St. Francis River crayfish?
- What can I do to help native crayfish and their waterways?
- Where can I learn more about the Big Creek crayfish and St. Francis River crayfish?
1. What action is the Service taking?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing a final rule to list the Big Creek crayfish and St. Francis River crayfish as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We are also announcing a 4(d) rule and critical habitat for these species. The final rule and supporting documents are available online at regulations.gov under docket number FWS–R3–ES–2019–0020.
2. What are the Big Creek crayfish and St. Francis River crayfish, and where are they found?
The Big Creek crayfish and St. Francis crayfish are small lobster-like crustaceans that live in freshwater habitats. The Big Creek crayfish is olive-tan with blackish blotches and specks over its pincers, carapace and abdomen, while the St. Francis River crayfish is dark brown with blackish blotches and specks over its pincers, carapace and abdomen.
Both the Big Creek crayfish and the St. Francis River crayfish have localized distributions in the St. Francis River watershed upstream of Wappapello Dam in Iron, Madison, St. Francois, Washington and Wayne counties in southeastern Missouri. The Big Creek crayfish is most abundant in Big Creek and other streams on the west side of the St. Francis River watershed. The St. Francis River crayfish mainly inhabits the upper St. Francis River tributaries on the upper end of the Upper St. Francis River watershed. Despite both occupying the St. Francis River watershed, these two species have been observed at the same location only seven times.
We presume that both species’ feeding habits are similar to those of other crayfish species in the region, and their diets likely consist of plant detritus, periphyton, and invertebrates.
3. What is causing the decline of the Big Creek crayfish and St. Francis River crayfish in Missouri?
The primary threat to the species is the woodland crayfish, a non-native invertebrate that was discovered within the St. Francis River tributary in 1984. Since its introduction, the woodland crayfish has spread throughout a large portion of the upper St. Francis River drainage and has caused the range of the Big Creek and St. Francis crayfishes to contract. Although neither crayfish has been completely displaced throughout their range, their abundance is substantially reduced in areas invaded by the woodland crayfish.
Water quality degradation is the other main threat to these crayfishes. Southeastern Missouri has been a primary producer of lead since the early 1700s. Although most mining has ceased, waste from mining operations is still present in the landscape, resulting in contamination of aquatic life and in some areas, public health advisories against human consumption of lead-contaminated fish.
Studies in southeastern Missouri and the tristate mining district found significantly higher metal concentrations in crayfish at sites downstream of mining activities than those at reference sites. Significantly lower crayfish densities were observed at sites downstream of mining activities than those at reference sites, indicating that metals associated with mining activities likely have negative impacts on crayfish populations in Ozark streams. Similar results were observed in other areas impacted by mining wastes (including sites in the Upper St. Francis River watershed), with sites downstream of mining activities having reduced densities of crayfish (from 80 to 100%) and significantly higher metal concentrations in the crayfish.
4. Why is it important to protect and conserve these crayfishes?
Crayfish spend their entire lives in water; their presence or absence indicates the health of the stream and river systems where they live. Both main risk factors affecting these crayfishes (an invasive non-native and lead contamination) affect other plants and animals within their ecosystems. The fact that these crayfish are having a difficult time surviving indicates problems in their river and stream environments.
5. How does listing the crayfishes as threatened help their conservation?
The purpose of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is to conserve endangered and threatened species and the ecosystems on which they depend. The Service uses the best available science to make ESA listing determinations. Now that the crayfishes are listed as threatened under the ESA, protective measures will apply. These measures include protection from adverse effects of federal activities, authority for the Service to develop and carry out recovery plans, and authority for the Service to conserve important habitat for the species. These efforts will contribute to the crayfishes’ survival and assist in achieving the ultimate goal: conserving both species for future generations.
6. What is a 4(d) special rule?
A 4(d) special rule is one of many tools found within the ESA for protecting species listed as threatened. This rule gets its name from section 4(d) of the ESA, which directs the Service to issue regulations deemed necessary and advisable to provide for the conservation of threatened species. Typically, the Service uses 4(d) rules to incentivize positive conservation actions and streamline the regulatory process for minor impacts to a species. As a part of those goals, the rule is often used to clarify or simplify what forms of take (killing, harming, harassing) of a threatened species are allowed and those that are prohibited.
The Service’s 4(d) rule defines prohibitions for take of both crayfishes. The rule allows incidental (unintentional) take of the species when conducting restoration activities that result in an overall benefit to one or both species or their habitat . The rule also allows research on or education for the species, provided the action is conducted under a valid Missouri Department of Conservation Wildlife Collector’s permit.
Critical habitat is defined in the Endangered Species Act as “...an area that contains habitat features that are essential for the survival and recovery of a listed species, which may require special management considerations or protections.”
Regulation of critical habitat is limited to the requirement under section 7 of the ESA that federal agencies consult with the Service on any actions that may affect critical habitat. The Service can then recommend ways to minimize adverse effects. A critical habitat designation imposes no requirements on state or private actions on state or private lands where no federal funding, permits or approvals are required.
Learn more about critical habitat (PDF)
8. How much critical habitat is being designated, and where is it located?
Critical habitat was delineated by including all streams occupied by the Big Creek and St. Francis River crayfish. These streams include the Upper St. Francis River upstream of Wappapello Dam and tributaries in Iron, Madison, St. Francois, Washington, and Wayne counties, Missouri. The specific tributaries and portions of the St. Francis River are listed below.
The Big Creek crayfish critical habitat unit includes all of the streams (about 1,069 river miles) upstream of Wappapello Dam in the following drainages:
- Big Lake Creek-St. Francis River
- Blankshire Branch-St. Francis River
- Captain Creek-St. Francis River
- Cedar Bottom Creek-St. Francis River
- Clark Creek
- Cedar Bottom Creek
- Crane Pond Creek
- Headwaters St. Francis River
- Headwaters Twelvemile Creek
- Leatherwood Creek-St. Francis River
- Lower Big Creek
- Middle Big Creek
- Saline Creek-Little St. Francis River
- Turkey Creek-St. Francis River
- Twelvemile Creek
- Upper Big Creek
Critical habitat for the Big Creek crayfish also includes the entire St. Francis River upstream of 37.091254N, 90.447212W (about 0.6 miles south of the Highway 67 bridge over the St. Francis River).
The St. Francis River crayfish critical habitat unit includes all of the streams (about 1,043 river miles) upstream of Wappapello Dam in the following drainages:
- Blankshire Branch-St. Francis River
- Captain Creek-St. Francis River
- Cedar Bottom Creek-St. Francis River
- Headwaters St. Francis River
- Headwaters Stouts Creek
- Hubble Creek-St. Francis River
- Leatherwood Creek-St. Francis River
- Little St. Francis River
- Lost Creek
- Marble Creek
- Musco Creek-Little St. Francis River
- O'Bannon Creek-St. Francis River
- Saline Creek-Little St. Francis River
- Stouts Creek
- Turkey Creek-St. Francis River
- Wachita Creek-St. Francis River
Critical habitat for the St. Francis River crayfish also includes the entire St. Francis River upstream of 36.982104N, 90.335400W (about 1.25 miles downstream of Choania Landing Recreation Area).
For the Big Creek crayfish, a large portion of the riparian riparian
Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.
Learn more about riparian land adjacent to streams designated as critical habitat are privately owned (68%), with 28% in federal ownership and 4% in state ownership. Similarly, 66% of riparian land adjacent to streams designated as critical habitat for the St. Francis River crayfish is privately owned, with 32% in federal ownership and 2% in state ownership.
Critical habitat includes stream habitat up to full bank height and does not include any areas of adjacent land. Critical habitat does not include manmade structures (such as buildings, aqueducts, runways, roads, and other paved areas) and the land on which they are located within the legal boundaries of critical habitat.
9. How does a critical habitat designation affect private land?
The consequences of a critical habitat designation are often misunderstood, in part because protection of critical habitat applies only to federal agencies. Under the ESA, the only regulatory effect of a critical habitat designation is that federal agencies must ensure their actions do not destroy or adversely modify critical habitat under section 7 of the act.
A critical habitat designation does not directly affect private actions on private property. However, actions that use federal money or require a federal permit would require consultation under section 7. The federal agency is responsible for meeting the section 7 requirements, but the result could indirectly affect private landowners. An example of such an action would be the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issuing a Clean Water Act permit for an action within a stream designated as critical habitat. Through consultation, the Service would work with the federal agency and advise it on whether the action would adversely modify critical habitat as well as ways to avoid impacts.
10. Does a critical habitat designation mean an area is considered a wildlife refuge or sanctuary?
No, a critical habitat designation does not affect land ownership or establish a refuge, wilderness, reserve, preserve or other conservation area conservation area
A conservation area or wildlife management area is a type of national wildlife refuge that consists primarily or entirely of conservation easements on private lands. These conservation easements support private landowner efforts to protect important habitat for fish and wildlife. There are 13 conservation areas and nine wildlife management areas in the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Learn more about conservation area . A critical habitat designation identifies areas that are important to the conservation of federally listed threatened or endangered species. A critical habitat designation requires federal agencies to consult with the Service on any of their actions that may affect critical habitat. The Service can then recommend ways to minimize adverse effects. The critical habitat designation imposes no requirements on private or state actions on private or state lands where no federal funding, permits or approvals are required.
11. Now that these crayfish are listed, will the government have free access to my land?
No, the presence of a listed species or critical habitat does not give government employees or representatives any rights to access private property.
12. What is being done to protect and conserve the Big Creek and St. Francis River crayfish?
The Missouri Department of Conservation and other organizations monitor and conduct research on the Big Creek crayfish and St. Francis River crayfish. The U.S. Geological Survey has conducted multiple evaluations of effects from lead mining contamination on crayfish, including the St. Francis River crayfish. Monitoring benefits both crayfish species by providing information on population health and trends and on the magnitude and extent of threats.
To help curtail the spread of non-native crayfish in Missouri, the Missouri Department of Conservation amended the Missouri Wildlife Code in 2011–2012. With the exception of the virile crayfish, this amendment effectively bans the sale and purchase of live crayfish for bait, the import and sale of live crayfish in pet stores, and the purchase and import of live crayfish by schools for classroom study, all of which are vectors for crayfish invasions. It is also illegal in Missouri to release any baitfish or crayfish into public waters, except as specifically permitted by the Missouri Department of Conservation.
About 41% of the Upper St. Francis River watershed is in public ownership, with the majority of land managed by the U.S. Forest Service as part of the Mark Twain National Forest. Management efforts benefit stream health by focusing on riparian protection and control and reduction of sediment entering streams. Other major public landowners in the watershed include the Missouri Department of Conservation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Additionally, 5.3 river miles of Big Creek is designated an “Outstanding State Resource Water.” Missouri Outstanding State Resource Waters are high-quality waters with significant aesthetic, recreational, or scientific value and receive special protection against degradation in quality. These protections help maintain water quality and minimize additional sedimentation; therefore, these protections may improve the quantity and quality of habitat of the Big Creek crayfish and St. Francis River crayfish.
The EPA has conducted, and plans to continue, extensive remediation in areas of southeastern Missouri impacted by lead mining, including the Upper St. Francis River watershed. In addition, the Service and Missouri Department of Natural Resources are working to restore natural resources injured by mining wastes released from historic mining operations.
13. What can I do to help native crayfish and their waterways?
It is illegal to dump bait into Missouri waters. Throw unused bait into the trash. Unwanted animals and plants can invade local water and damage habitat.
Help keep local rivers and streams clean and natural. Join a local stream team, a volunteer organization that brings people together to clean, care for, and monitor rivers.
If you canoe or fish, keep rivers and lakes clean by leaving no waste behind.
Keep pollutants out of watersheds by minimizing use of pesticides and properly disposing of household toxic waste. Avoid washing spills, dirt and debris down storm drains.
14. Where can I learn more about the Big Creek crayfish and St. Francis River crayfish?
Learn more about the Big Creek crayfish
Learn more about the St. Francis River crayfish
You may contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Columbia, Missouri Field Office at:
John Weber, Field Supervisor
Missouri Ecological Services Field Office
101 Park DeVille Drive, Suite A
Columbia, Missouri 65203
Phone: 573–234–2132
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339.
