NOAA Seeks Public Comment on Draft Plan to Recover Salmon and Steelhead Trout in California’s Central Valley
Workshops for public comment and information planned in Chico and Sacramento
Contact: Jim Milbury, (562) 980-4006
Natioanl Oceanic and Atmospheric Association
10/07/2009
NOAA’s Fisheries Service is requesting the public’s input on a draft recovery plan designed to restore and stabilize salmon and steelhead species in California’s Central Valley that are listed under the Endangered Species Act.
This draft plan, published in today’s Federal Register, addresses recovery efforts for endangered Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, threatened Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon and threatened Central Valley steelhead.
“This draft plan provides the framework necessary to recover salmon and steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act in the Central Valley,” said Maria Rea, Sacramento office supervisor for NOAA’s Fisheries Service. “With the public’s input, it will also provide significant improvement for other non-listed salmonid species like the commercially valuable fall-run Chinook.”
The ESA requires the development of a recovery plan for the successful rebuilding of species identified as being at risk of extinction.
Local knowledge and input from the public on the unique needs of these fish is extremely valuable, to ensure the plan is comprehensive and promotes stakeholder involvement. The plan has already received substantial input from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game, and their expertise will continue to be tapped as the plan undergoes public review.
NOAA’s Fisheries Service plans to conduct workshops in Chico and Sacramento to
provide the public with an opportunity to learn more about the contents of the draft recovery plan and offer any feedback or comments. NOAA’s Fisheries Service biologists will explain the steps necessary to recover Sacramento River winter-run Chinook, Central Valley spring-run Chinook and Central Valley steelhead, so that they may ultimately be removed from the Endangered Species List.
Workshops will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and again from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00
p.m. at the locations and dates listed below:
Tues., Oct. 20 - Masonic Center, 1110 W East Avenue, Chico
Wed., Oct. 21 - Hilton, 2200 Harvard Street, Sacramento
Public comment and information relevant to this recovery plan must be received no later
than 5:00 p.m. Dec. 7. Comments may be submitted by e-mail or U.S. mail:
• Email to:
CentralValleyPlan.SWR@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line “Comments on Central Valley Salmon and Steelhead Draft Plan.”
• Mail to:
Brian Ellrott, National Marine Fisheries Service
650 Capitol Mall, Suite 8-300
Sacramento, CA 95814
Electronic copies of this plan are also available online at:
http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/recovery/centralvalleyplan.htm. If you do not have online access, you can receive a CD copy. Contact Aimee Diefenbach at 916-930-3600 or e-mail your request to aimee.diefenbach@noaa.gov with the subject line “CD-ROM Request for Central Valley Salmon and Steelhead Recovery Draft Plan.”
NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources. Visit http://www.noaa.gov.
On the Web:
Central Valley Salmon and Steelhead Recovery Draft Plan: http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/recovery/centralvalleyplan.htm
Federal Register Announcement: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-24224.pdf
Recovery plans for California and southern Oregon salmonids: http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/recovery
Other ESA recovery plans: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/recovery
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov
