South-Central/Southern California Domain

Regional Office Contact:

Mark Capelli

Recovery Coordinator

National Marine Fisheries Service

735 State Street, Suite 616,

Santa Barbara, CA 93101 – 3351

PHONE: (805) 963-6478 x14

Map of Area:

Click on image for a detailed pdf. version.

For an interactive map CalFish.org

NEW - NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is pleased to announce the release of the Public Draft of the South-Central California Coast Steelhead Recovery Plan. NMFS, with input from the public, other federal, state, and local agencies, has developed a recovery plan for steelhead that will serve as a guide for those interested in restoring steelhead runs along the coast of south-central California, from the coastal tributaries of the Pajaro River in Monterey County south to Arroyo Grande in San Luis Obispo County.

This draft recovery plan is not a regulatory document, but a blueprint which describes the unique biological characteristics of South-Central California Coast steelhead, and the measures necessary to recover the species. The recovery plan identifies the threats which have brought these steelhead to the brink of extinction, sets out a general strategy for recovering the species to allow their removal from the list of threatened species, and describes a research and monitoring program to refine recovery goals and track the progress towards recovery.

Because the focus of the South-Central California Coast Steelhead Recovery Plan is on the restoration of basic watershed processes, implementation of recommended recovery actions will also contribute to the protection and restoration of a wide variety of other native species in addition to steelhead. In many cases the recovery actions are consistent with other existing local, regional, and state programs intended to restore watershed health and therefore the vital role coastal watersheds play in the coastal communities of south-central California.

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service is committed to working cooperatively with all interested stakeholders and encourages their participation in the implementation of the Southern California Steelhead Recovery Plan. The Recovery Plan and an associated summary can be downloaded via the links to the right. As the recovery of south-central California steelhead and conservation of their habitat depends on the coordinated efforts of many stakeholders such as yourself, your comments are encouraged and greatly appreciated.

NMFS will hold public meetings to present the plan and receive public comments at the following dates and locations:

Monday, October 29th at 2:00 p.m. at the Ludwick Community Center, 864 Santa Rosa, San Luis Obispo CA 93401
Tuesday, October 30th at 2:00 p.m. at the Monterey Public Library, Community Room, 625 Pacific Street, Monterey CA 93940 (Note: This program is not sponsored or endorsed by Monterey Public Library or the City of Monterey).

Any person interested in submitting information on the draft recovery plan may do so within 60 days of publication by attending a workshop or by one of the following methods:

Electronic Submission – Via email: SCCCS.Recovery@noaa.gov (No files larger than 5MB can be accepted)

Mail or hand-delivery: Penny Ruvelas, Protected Resources Division, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213

Via fax: 562-980-4027. Please include the following on the cover page of the fax: “ATTN: Penny Ruvelas/SCCC Steelhead Public Review Draft Recovery Plan Comments.”

Description:

The South-Central/Southern California Coast Recovery Domain extends from the Pajaro River to the Tijuana River at the U.S-Mexican border.

Specific threats to steelhead populations include:

Blockage of access to 90 percent of historic spawning and rearing habitat above dams 1.
•Dewatering of streams by dams and diversions
•Loss of riparian vegetation from agricultural, residential, and commercial development, and related flood control activities
Filling and degradation of estuarine habitat
Introduction of non-native, exotic fish and amphibians
Point and non-point pollution from up-slope land use practices

Priority recovery actions include:

•Establishing access above impassible barriers (road crossings, dams, debris basins)
•Restoring flow regimes for migration and over-summering habitat
•Reducing point and non-point pollution sources
•Developing and implementing a comprehensive habitat monitoring and stock assessment program
Restoring ecological estuarine functions to support steelhead rearing and acclimation

10/19/12

South-Central California Coast Steelhead Recovery Plan - 10/19/12

Southern California Steelhead Recovery Plan - 01/11/12

Steelhead Recovery VIdeos

Past Documents:

Public Draft - Southern California Steelhead Recovery Plan - 07/09

Threats Assessment for Southern California Coast Steelhead

Threats Assessment for South-Central California Coast Steelhead

FINAL 2007 Recovery Outline for the DPS of South-Central Califoria Coast Steelhead 091407

Technical Recovery Team

Technical Memoranda

ESUs / DPSs

South-Central Coast Steelhead (threatened)

Southern California Coast Steelhead (endangered).