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
Santa Rosa Office Telephone Numbers:
(707) 575-6050
(866) 300-2948 (VTS line)
(707) 578-3435 Fax
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/.
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