Few subjects have drawn more attention than the recent petition by the Center for Biological Diversity to have the Clear Lake hitch put on the endangered species list. Fishermen, farmers and general users of the lake have raised concerns that if the hitch is declared endangered their activities will be sharply curtailed.
On Dec. 3, the Lake County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee will join with the Chi Committee to host a public meeting beginning at 7 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors Chambers at the courthouse in Lakeport. According to Greg Giusti, the chair of the Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee, the purpose of the meeting is to inform the public on the procedures used to declare a species, especially the Clear Lake hitch, endangered. The meeting is open to the public and is free.
There will be several guest speakers, including a representative from the Center for Biological Diversity, plus experts on the biology of the hitch. Other scientists also will be present. The word is that it could be a full house so those interested in attending should get there early if they want a seat.
Fishermen, farmers and other users of the lake are worried that if the hitch is declared endangered, the federal government could impose restrictions and other conditions that would have a major impact on those who can use the lake. Actually, the question most of the critics are asking is whether or not the hitch population is really in a serious decline? That's a very good question. The only surveys done on the hitch are when they spawn in the streams that feed Clear Lake. There has been little information obtained on the actual hitch population in the lake. In fact, we don't even know where in the lake the hitch spend most of their time.
While talking to commercial fishermen who have operated on the lake for more than 30 years, many have told me that the only time they catch hitch in their nets is during the spring months when the hitch mass at the mouths of the streams to spawn, such as at Kelsey Creek and Adobe Creek. They say during the winter and summer months the hitch are out in the deeper water in the middle of the lake.
The way the Endangered Species Act works is that any group or individual can petition the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to place a species on the endangered list. The FWS has 90 days to make an initial finding on the merits of the petition and whether the submission warrants a full status review. If the FWS decides that a species should be investigated, the agency then has one year to determine if the listing is justified. It can actually take longer than a year. Once a species is formally declared endangered the FWS comes up with conditions and recommendations to protect that species.
In the case of the hitch, the first remedy would probably be to repair the spawning streams, which means removing obstacles that prevent the hitch from reaching their spawning grounds. Other requirements could include controlled spraying of herbicides in the lake to control hydrilla and other aquatic weeds.
Local businesses are concerned that any restrictions on bass fishing would have an impact on tourism. Clear Lake is rated as one of the top bass lakes in the nation and the county receives millions of dollars yearly from bass fishermen.
A good example of what happens when a species is declared endangered is the red-legged frog, which is now on the endangered list. There are lakes in California where the Department of Fish and Game can no longer stock certain trout because of the fear the trout will eat the red-legged frog. Largemouth bass are an introduced species in Clear Lake and California and they do prey on the hitch along with other small minnows. What impact the bass have on the hitch population is unknown. All species of fish and wildlife have rises and drops in population during a set period of time. The question is if these species are close to becoming endangered because of manmade factors.
It all goes to show that things are a lot more complicated in nature than we realize.