suckers habitat designation proposed klamath basin 121111

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http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/12/09/42127.htm

Suckers Critical Habitat Designation Proposed

By DIANNA OPIAT Courthouse News Service, December 9, 2011

WASHINGTON (CN) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to protect approximately 274 miles of streams and 242,000 acres of lakes and reservoirs as critical habitat for two species of west coast sucker fish.

The Lost River sucker and the shortnose sucker have been protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1988. Critical habitat was proposed but not adopted in 1994.

According to the agency, both populations have been endangered by the introduction of exotic species and habitat loss primarily due to construction of dams, water diversions, and draining of wetlands in Klamath and Lake Counties, Oregon and Modoc County, California.

The public may comment on the proposed designation until Feb. 6