Don’t Put Bull Trout On List, Batt Asks Fish And Wildlife Says State Can Handle Recovery With Protection Measures In Place
Gov. Phil Batt maintains that while the federal government goes through endless court battles and uses old information in an effort to protect bull trout, Idaho has been getting the job done.
That’s why he is urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to drop its plan to list the species under the federal Endangered Species Act and let Idaho continue to carry out its own recovery plan.
“Over the last year and a half while the Fish and Wildlife Service has been arguing this issue in court, the state of Idaho has been actively implementing my comprehensive conservation plan for the bull trout,” the governor said Friday in a letter to the federal agency. “The Fish and Wildlife Service is making decisions based on 1994 information.
“Here in Idaho, we have moved ahead, putting significant protection measures in place and accumulating new and more relevant data.”
Batt and Attorney General Alan Lance put together a working group including representatives from six state agencies, the Soil Conservation Commission, Northwest Power Planning Council, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.
“Idaho is committed to fully implementing our bull trout plan and I recommend that the Fish and Wildlife Service support us in our efforts,” the governor said.
Batt said the state plan, combined with work already done, makes Endangered Species Act listing and protection unnecessary. He said another layer of bureaucracy won’t help the fish recover.
“By focusing our combined resources on Idaho’s plan, we can expedite bull trout recovery and at the same time set a national precedent for local, state and federal cooperation,” Batt said. xxxx RECOVERY PLAN Highlights of the Idaho effort: Design, implement and monitor conservation efforts at the watershed level. Employ restoration methods that promote the long-term genetic and ecological integrity of ecosystems. Empower all interested individuals to participate in the conservation planning process. Make decisions based only on the most recent scientific information and conservation activities. Prioritize conservation efforts based on assessment of habitat quality and stock strength at the watershed level.