The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a notice in the Federal Register on September 25, announcing the availability of the draft economic analysis for the November 2006 proposed rule to designate critical habitat for tidewater goby – a small fish that occurs in estuaries and lagoons throughout coastal California.

The draft analysis estimates potential costs associated with conservation activities on approximately 10,003 acres proposed for a critical habitat designation to be $25 million over the next 20 years.

The proposed critical habitat includes land in portions of Del Norte, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, and Ventura counties in California. Comments and information on the draft economic analysis and proposed rule to designate critical habitat for the plant will be accepted until October 10, 2007.

Written comments may be submitted to the Field Supervisor, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, 2493 Portola Road, Suite B; Ventura, CA 93003 or transmitted by fax to 805-644-3958. Electronic comments should be sent to fw8gobydea@fws.gov.

Copies of the proposed rule to designate critical habitat for tidewater goby and the draft economic analysis are available on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/ventura/newsroom.