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Is ANOTHER Delta species headed for the endangered list?DFG News Release, June 27, 2008. The California Fish and Game Commission is currently considering the petition to list the longfin smelt as threatened or endangered under CESA. The petition was filed Aug. 14, 2007 by the Bay Institute, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Natural Resources Defense Council. By operation of law, longfin smelt became a “candidate species” under the CESA when the Commission found that the petition contained sufficient information to warrant further consideration. Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2074.6 of the Fish and Game Code, DFG must complete a status review of the species and provide a written report to the commission that recommends - based upon the best scientific information available - whether listing the longfin smelt as threatened or endangered under CESA is warranted. DFG plans to submit its report to the commission in January 2009 and seeks information from the public to help formulate its recommendation. The longfin smelt is a small native fish that migrates from salty water to spawn in fresh water. In California the fish are found mostly in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and San Francisco-area bays. Their abundance has declined substantially since systematic monitoring began in 1959 and has been at record-low levels since 2000. Comments from interested and affected parties, including members of the public and local agencies, are requested by Aug. 1, 2008. Please send data and comments related to the petitioned action and/or the status of longfin smelt to: DFG Supervising Biologist Marty Gingras Or via e-mail to mgingras@dfg.ca.gov with “Re: Longfin Smelt Petition” in the subject line. Send faxes to (209) 946-6355, Attention: Marty Gingras, Re: Longfin Smelt Petition.
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