Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Texas Endangered Species

FYI - this is not intended to start a political discussion. Please don't. Instead it is a heads up for you to check your pond/watershed to anticipate any problems.


U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes to List Texas Hornshell Mussel as Endangered
Blog Energy Legal Blog

Bracewell LLP
Sara M. Burgin.


USA August 9 2016


On August 10, 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) will publish its proposal to list the Texas hornshell, a freshwater mussel species from New Mexico and Texas, as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Service will accept comments on the proposed listing until October 11, 2016. The Service requests certain information, including information regarding the mussel, its habitat and requirements for its conservation and notes that, since the determination whether a species is an endangered or threatened species must be made solely on the basis of the best scientific and commercial data available, only comments based upon supporting information will be considered in making the determination. The Service typically makes a final decision to list or withdraw the proposal within a year after proposal.

In addition to the potential direct implications for activities within habitat areas of the Texas hornshell, the Service�s determination to propose listing for the Texas hornshell is important because it provides insight into decisions the Service may make regarding five additional freshwater mussels with ranges that extend across major rivers in central Texas that have been identified by the Service as candidates for listing. The Service is scheduled to make decisions whether to propose those five species for listing sometime after fiscal year 2016.

The Service states that it is proposing to list the Texas hornshell as endangered because it has declined significantly across its historical range that included the Rio Grande River Basin in New Mexico, Texas and Mexico, as well as along Mexican coastal area rivers. The Service asserts that the mussel is now found in only 15% of its historical range in the U.S. and is presently in danger of extinction. In New Mexico, it is now confirmed only in the Black River (a Pecos River tributary) and is the last remaining native mussel in New Mexico. In the Rio Grande, the species is known to be present downstream of Big Bend National Park and near Laredo in Webb County, Texas and the Devil�s River in Val Verde County, Texas.

As noted by the Service, the primary factors affecting the current and future conditions of the Texas hornshell are river fragmentation due to habitat inundation by impoundments and alterations of the natural streamflow regime (by impoundments, drought, groundwater withdrawal and resultant mussel-smothering sediment accumulation), predation and degradation of water quality within its range.

Texas guys be sure to check to see if this effects you .

Contacting your local TPWD fisheries biologist and they will tell you if this affects you.

Update:

" The Fish and Wildlife Service took steps that may stop the Obama administration�s last-minute endangered-species listing for the Texas Hornshell, a freshwater mussel. That listing, based on outdated science, threatens significant harm to the Texas economy and was done over the protest of state officials and local industry."

anthropic, can you put up a link to the exact article? I clicked around on the link you posted and couldn't find it, so I deleted the link because I couldn't find anything pond/water related in the WSJ link.

PS Not trying to be political, just want PB members informed of latest developments.

Sorry the link didn't work. This one should:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-news-you-didnt-hear-1496358236

Note that mussel comments are about halfway through the article.

If Wall St Journal article is paywalled, it is quoted here, comment 102:

http://startingstrength.com/resources/forum/ends-and-pieces/73868-breaking-news-trump-pulls-11.html