Final Environmental Assessment for San Nicolas Island Seabird Restoration Project Released to the Public

The U.S. Navy-owned San Nicolas Island, located off the coast of southern California, is important nesting habitat for seabirds and is also home to the State threatened island fox. Currently, feral cats introduced to San Nicolas Island prey on native seabirds, an endemic deer mouse, and the federally threatened island night lizard.

The Final Environmental Assessment (EA) outlines the potential environmental effects relating to the removal of feral cats from San Nicolas Island. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of the Navy both signed Findings of No Significant Impact (FONSI) documents that accompany the Final EA and support the implementation of this project. Full implementation is projected to begin in 2009.

Posted below is the Final EA, both FONSI documents, a fact sheet, and a Frequently Asked Questions document. If you have any questions, please contact Jane Hendron or Annie Little of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 760-431-9440.

MSRP Funding Opportunity!

MSRP just announced an opportunity to provide grant funding for outreach projects that focus on safe ways to enjoy or benefit from fishing along the Los Angeles and Orange County coasts where fish consumption advisories have impacted fishing. Projects should focus on developing curricula, programs or activities to educate young people (and through them, their parents) who consume locally-caught fish. All projects need to incorporate the comic book titled "What's the Catch?" and/or concepts outlined in the comic book as a basis, and are encouraged to draw from any other educational materials available through the Fish Contamination Education Collaborative (www.pvsfish.org) as appropriate. Funding is available to support three projects of up to $10K each for a total of $30K. Application deadline is April 24, 2009.

For information about applying please visit:
www.nfwf.org/montrose

To download the "What's the Catch?" comic book:
http://www.darrp.noaa.gov/southwest/montrose/pdf/msrp_fishcomicbook.pdf