BLM-UT Aquatic Special Status Species Conservation Projects

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) and the BLM Utah have been working cooperatively over the last five years to implement conservation measures for aquatic special status species with the goal of ensuring the species long-term persistence and preventing them from being listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), The UDWR and BLM UT have been successful with this effort by implementing conservation actions for these imperiled species through a previous assistance agreement that has expired. The UDWR and BLM UT wish to continue to implement this successful conservation work for these imperiled aquatic species to ensure their long-term persistence and prevent listing under the ESA. The work that will accomplished through this agreement involves completing many activities relating to aquatic special status species conservation agreements that BLM Utah is signatory to including: habitat surveys to gain knowledge on current distribution, movement and live history studies, potential reintroductions into historical habitats, work to maintain water in important habitats, removal of barriers to aquatic passage and work to improve habitat and help conserve these BLM aquatic sensitive species. Objectives: The overall objective of the conservation agreements and this agreement is to ensure the long-term persistence of the species by eliminating or significantly reducing threats and restoring populations throughout the historic range. Objectives under this agreement to address this would include completing conservation actions for aquatic special status species including: Objective 1 ��� Determine the existing range of special status aquatic species.Objective 2 ��� Identify and reduce threats to special status aquatic species and associated habitats.Objective 3 ��� Maintain and monitor existing self-sustaining populations and their habitatObjective 4 ��� Restore populations at selected localities within the historic range.Objective 5 ��� Augment selected populations if necessary.