Current work in wildlife, rivers, public lands, and climate

Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Gulf Coast Fish will be Considered for Endangered Species Act Protection

Saltmarsh Topminnow Threatened by Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Coastal Development
Contact: Taylor Jones (303) 353-1490

Washington,DC – The U.S. Fish and WildlifeService and the National Marine Fisheries Service will publish in tomorrow’sFederal Register their finding that the saltmarsh topminnow, a small grey-greenGulf Coast fish, is facing such severe threats that the Fish and WildlifeService will conduct a status review to determine if the species warrantslisting under the Endangered Species Act.

Topminnowsare found in brackish, shallow tidal meanders along the northern Gulf of Mexicofrom the Escambia River (Florida) to Galveston Bay (Texas). The topminnow andits coastal saltmarsh habitat were likely impacted by the BP Deepwater Horizonoil spill in 2010. Pollution from an oil spill is long-lasting: it can damage a wetlandfor several decades. In addition to catastrophic events such as the DeepwaterHorizon oil spill, pollution from regular oil and gas development activitiescause damage as well. Scientists acknowledge that pollution from the oilindustry has long-term effects on wetlands in general and saltmarshes inparticular. For example, both the federal and Texas state governments haverecognized that long-term oil refining activities have significantly pollutedcoastal land straddling the Texas-Louisiana border (in particular, the PortArthur, Texas, area).

“Protecting the topminnow means protecting salt marshes, which inturn protects coastal communities,” said Taylor Jones, Endangered SpeciesAdvocate for WildEarth Guardians.

Coastal wetlands are home to rich biodiversity and alsobuffer inland human and natural communities from storms. But wetlands are disappearing alongthe Gulf Coast, mainly due to development, port construction, levee and canal construction, and gas and oil development. A particularthreat to the topminnow is the dock-side gaming industry of Mississippi and Louisiana, thesuccess of which has led developers to create ever-larger offshore casinos thatdrain wetlands. Rising sea levels, driven in part by climate change, also threatento inundate the topminnow’s habitat.

WildEarthGuardians petitioned the federal government to list the topminnow as “threatened”or “endangered” under the ESA and to provide immediate assistance to the beleagueredfish by protecting it under the emergency listing provisions of the act.Despite likely impacts from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Fish andWildlife Service declined to emergency list the fish, instead initiating theregular ESA listing process, which will take, at minimum, two years tocomplete.

“We arepleased the Service sees the need to take action,” continued Jones. “We justhope help comes in time to save the topminnow from extinction.”