The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has kept a public comment period open through November 18th for its proposals to protect Sierra amphibians – frogs and toads. Robert Moler of federal Fish and Wildlife in Sacramento told Sierra Wave that the agency “does not plan to call for a halt to fish planting in upper Inyo-Mono lakes.” Mono Supervisors will deal with this issue at their meeting Tuesday.
Fish and Wildlife does want to designate critical habitat areas for two types of yellow-legged frogs and the Yosemite Toad. They are considered an important part of the chain of life in the mountains. Fish and Wildlife has determined that they are endangered and need habitat protection.
Local officials said this would interfere with recreation and tourism. Mr. Moler of Fish and Wildlife said that there would be no interference with recreation. He said that the designation of critical habitat would only mean that a federal agency would evaluate whether any new project, including new fish stocking in Forest boundaries, would result in any impact to critical habitat adverse to the amphibians. If there were a conflict, he said, Fish and Wildlife would work with that federal agency to resolve issues.
As the first item under the regular agenda, the Mono Supervisors will hold a workshop on proposals to list the amphibians as endangered and to designate critical habitat. The Board members will likely provide feedback for developing comments from the County. They will also address the potential listing as endangered of the Bi-State Sage Grouse.
An addendum to the Board agenda addresses approval of a road closure for Digital 395 construction. The closure involves a section of Round Mountain Road between Casa Diablo Road and Owens Gorge Road to allow fiber optic line installation.
Mr. Moler’s response reinforces the point. Once critical habitat is established, the managing agency is required to manage the area so that it is suitable for the endangered species to expand into the area. Mr. Moler’s agency is quite clear that trout and frog are incompatible. The USFS cannot manage… Read more »
“It is just cool that from the Owens Valley you can fish for bass in the southern Owens river in the morning and hike into the mountains and fly fish for trout in the backcountry in the afternoon. That will be lost.” That isn’t even close to being true. You… Read more »
Get rid of the fish and you’ll get rid of the fishermans trash.
There are plenty of other lakes and streams to fish other then Big Pine Creek and RCL.
A critical habitat designation must affect fish stocking and management in the upper lakes (or in South Lake and Rock Creek lakes that are included in the proposal). By definition, critical habitat is habitat that is essential for the frog. Fish and Wildlife’s own rule states that fish are incompatible… Read more »
Randy, I will forward your comment to Mr. Moler of Fish and Wildlife and get his response. Thanks much for the thoughts and info,
Benett
Randy, Here is Robert Moler’s response. I did email him back to get him to specifically respond to South Lake and Rock Creek Lake. It sounds like the Forest Service will play a role on this. Benett UPDATE: To the direct question about the two lakes, Mr. Moler said: I… Read more »