The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public comment on its proposal to list the Santa Ana speckled dace as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The Service determined that critical habitat for the species is not determinable at this time.
With the proposed listing of the species, the Service is also proposing a 4(d) rule that provides exceptions to the prohibition of take for activities that can have beneficial or only negligible impacts to the dace. Excepted activities include forest management activities that reduce the risk of high-severity wildfire, public safety work, habitat restoration and enhancement, removal of nonnative species, and translocation efforts or fish salvage operations to benefit the dace.
The Santa Ana speckled dace is genetically distinguishable from other populations of speckled dace and was recently designated as its own species. It is a freshwater fish in the cyprinid family, native to the Santa Ana, San Jacinto, San Gabriel, and Los Angeles watersheds in Southern California. Its relatively small and isolated populations occur mostly on federal lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
The fish measures 3-4 inches in length; is a dusky yellow to olive in color with a paler belly; and has distinctive dark speckles on the upper and sides of the body with a dark lateral band that extends to the snout. It feeds on invertebrates and algae.
The Service is proposing to list the species as threatened due to loss, degradation and fragmentation of its habitat from development, agriculture, recreational activities, mining, and hydrological modifications and diversions, and impacts of high-severity wildfire, climate change climate change
Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Though there have been previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century humans have had an unprecedented impact on Earth's climate system and caused change on a global scale.
Learn more about climate change , nonnative species, and small populations.
“The Santa Ana speckled dace is one of the few remaining native freshwater fish inhabiting Southern California, and we will continue working with our partners to identify strategies and actions that will aid conservation of the species,” said Scott Sobiech, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office field supervisor.
The Service will consider comments from all interested parties received by Oct. 15, 2024. The proposal and information on how to submit comments can be found on www.regulations.gov by searching under docket number FWS-R8-ES-2024-0018.
