Fairy shrimp and tadpole shrimp occur within ephemeral pools and wetlands. Many of the shrimp species found in California are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. Shrimp eggs/cysts lie dormant in seasonal pools during the dry months and hatch once the wetlands become ponded from winter rains.
Surveys for these species must be approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and conducted by a qualified/permitted biologist. ECORP biologists have extensive experience identifying and working with these organisms and ECORP is permitted by the USFWS to conduct both wet and dry season surveys, which constitutes a complete survey pursuant to USFWS guidelines.
ECORP regularly conducts these surveys to support Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultations, and the results of these surveys are often used to substantially reduce the time needed for permit authorization and the cost of mitigation. As winter rains are approaching, now is the time to schedule surveys for listed shrimp. This winter’s survey “window” is almost upon us, so don’t delay.
If you have questions or would like to discuss whether conducting surveys may be right for your project, please contact Peter Balfour or Todd Wood at (916) 782-9100 (Northern California), or Kristen Wasz at (909) 307-0046 (Southern California).
