Santa Rosa Office - Protected Resources

NMFS Southwest Region Field Office - Santa Rosa

The National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Region maintains field offices in Santa Rosa, Arcata, and Sacramento, California. These northern area offices are concerned with habitat and protected fish species issues north of Santa Barbara County. The Santa Rosa office houses three divisions: Protected Resources, Habitat Conservation, and Sustainable Fisheries.

Address: NMFS
Attn: PRD Division
777 Sonoma Ave Rm 325
Santa Rosa Ca 95404
(707) 575-6050; Fax (707) 578-3435

Protected Resources Division

Located in Santa Rosa, California, the Protected Resources Division (PRD), Santa Rosa Field Office (SRFO) is responsible for the administration of programs, laws, and acts that promote and support conservation, protection, and recovery of salmonid resources in Central California. The SRFO's primary emphasis is the administration of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) with a specific emphasis on listed salmonids. Currently, listed salmonids include Coho and Chinook Salmon, and Steelhead Trout. Other programs administered by the Division include the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Clean Water Act, Federal Power Act, Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, and the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

Organization and Structure

The SRFO area of responsibility is from Mendocino County in the north to San Luis Obispo County in the south, including San Francisco Bay and inland to the Carquinez Straight Bridge. The Division is organized into three geographic teams:

North Coast Team - Mendocino, Sonoma, Marin Counties.
San Francisco Bay Team - S.F. Bay and interior drainages
South Coast Team - San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo Counties

Responsibilities

As a result of the ESA salmonid listings, the SRFO focuses heavily on sections 7 and 10 of the ESA. The SRFO is also engaged in providing technical assistance to State agencies, county and local government, and private landowners on issues ranging from forestry to county and city land use practices and ordinances that affect salmonid habitat. The Office also provides education and outreach to stakeholders, organizations, or watershed groups who are interested in developing conservation strategies for listed salmonids.

Section 7 Consultations

Federal Agencies who permit, or conduct an activity that affects listed salmonids are required to conduct and ESA section 7 consultation with NMFS. The primary Federal agencies NMFS consults with are the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Highways Administration, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Examples of projects where a Federal nexus triggers a consultation are: bank stabilization projects, dredging, gravel mining, restoration projects, water diversion projects, dam operations, timber harvest and grazing on federal land.

Section 10 Habitat Conservation Plans

Private landowners who seek ESA compliance for the conduct of lawful activities on their property have the ability to cooperatively work with NMFS to develop a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) which provides for issuance of a section 10(a)(1)(B) incidental take permit. The NMFS strongly supports the concept of HCPs program, and is specifically interested in developing HCPs at the largest geographic scale possible. NMFS can develop HCPs with single, large landowners, multiple owners within a watershed, or counties. The HCP program seeks to develop a long-term conservation strategy for salmonids that is balanced with the economic interests and rights of landowners.

Section 10 Scientific Research Permits

The SRFO also supports the Southwest Region's Research and Permit Program for listed salmonids. Research and/or the propagation of listed salmonids cannot be conducted without NMFS authorization. These activities can be authorized through submission of an application to NMFS for a Section 10(a)(1)(A) permit. For information on research and enhancement permits call, or write the SRFO, Attn: Scientific Permits

Recovery Planning

The Southwest Region has initiated recovery planning within the Central California Coast planning area. Recovery Planning will address Coho and Chinook Salmon and steelhead trout simultaneously. Recovery Planning will be developed and conducted in two phases. Phase I will be the formation of a science-based Technical Recovery Team whose primary responsibility will be to develop biological goals and objectives, and the criteria by which salmonids would be de-listed. Phase II will be the implementation of Phase I objectives and will provide for the inclusion of individuals, stakeholders, and organizations.

Central California Coast Recovery Plan Coordinator

Questions related to Southwest Region recovery policy and planning should be directed to the Recovery Coordinator. For more information on recovery planning go to http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/, and click on recovery planning.

For more information on west coast ESA listed salmonids, Federal Register Notices, rules , and maps go to http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/.