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0104im.jpg){kind=tracking} Southern Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) - Federal Endangered, California Species
of Special Concern. The Southern California Evolutionarily Significant Unit of the
steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) was listed as endangered by the federal government
in October of 1997. Steelhead are the ocean-going form of rainbow trout. They spend
their adult lives in the ocean and then return to coastal streams to spawn. Fish
movements both upstream and downstream coincide with flow pulses from storms.
These coastal streams are often characterized by sand bar buildup at their mouths
during low flow months. Steelhead occur at times in many of the coastal streams in
Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties and would be expected in low numbers in
nearshore waters off the BEACON area beaches.
Tidewater Goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi ) - Federal Endangered (proposed for
delisting north of Orange County), California Species of Special Concern. The tidewater
goby is found in brackish water habitats along the California coast from Agua Hediona
Lagoon in San Diego County to the mouth of the Smith River near the California/Oregon
border. This fish occurs in shallow lagoons and lower stream reaches. Within the
BEACON project area, tidewater gobies have been recorded in recent years in
Carpinteria Creek, the Ventura River, the Oxnard Drain and the Santa Clara River
(CDFG 2000). Tidewater gobies would not be expected in the ocean waters off
BEACON project area beaches. In 1999, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed
delisting tidewater goby populations north of Orange County.
California Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) - Federal Endangered,
State Endangered. The California brown pelican was listed as endangered by both the
federal and state governments following several years of pollutant-related reproductive
failures. The breeding colonies on Anacapa and Santa Barbara Islands have since
recovered to their former numbers. In 1997, approximately 6,200 pairs of brown
pelicans nested on the Channel Islands. Much higher numbers nest off Baja California,
primarily in the Gulf of California. Brown pelicans are relatively common year-round in
the nearshore waters of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Their numbers are
generally lower during the late winter and spring when most birds are at their nesting
sites. Peak abundance occurs July through December when migrants from Mexico are
present. Brown pelicans feed primarily on near-surface schooling fish, particularly
northern anchovy. They locate prey while flying and then plunge from the air to capture
the prey underwater.
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) - State Endangered. The peregrine falcon was
listed as endangered because of reproductive failures linked to chemical pollutants,
especially DDT. The population has recovered, and the federal government delisted it
in 1999. Peregrine falcons currently breed on all of the northern Channel Islands, but
not on the mainland coast within the BEACON project area. Migrants are seen
occasionally in the BEACON project area. Peregrine falcons feed almost exclusively
on birds.
Light-footed Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris levipes) - Federal Endangered, State
Endangered. The light-footed clapper rail is a secretive bird of southern California salt
marshes. It nests predominantly in the cordgrass vegetation of the low salt marsh.
Carpinteria Marsh is currently the northern extent of the light-footed clapper rail's range.
10
3208 Bio Report
06/12/02
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