The Fish and Wildlife Service showed Monday how voluntary conservation initiatives can keep some regulations at bay, as the agency announced federal protections for seven species of freshwater mussels from central Texas.
While adding the Texas fatmucket, Guadalupe orb and five other distinctively named mussels to the list of threatened and endangered species, the agency dialed down the total designated critical habitat to 1,578 river miles. Three years ago, the FWS proposed designating a total of 1,944 river miles.
The 18 percent shrinkage in the total critical habitat was the Fish and Wildlife Service’s tip of the hat to local conservation efforts.
“We are committed to working with local communities to ensure they have the tools they need to protect and recover these imperiled species,” Amy Lueders, the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Southwest Region director, said in a statement, adding that “creative collaboration with Central Texas river authorities has led to some ground breaking conservation actions.”
