Critical Habitat

* An open letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS):

It is fortunate that the NMFS has identified the severely underutilized nature of the Calleguas Creek corridor. In its wisdom, the service has recognized that this ephemeral, effluent-dominated stream has such immense potential as a critical habitat area to a species that has never had an opportunity to enjoy the hospitality for which the good folks of the Las Posas and Conejo valleys are famous!

Steelhead have thousands of square miles of habitat to call home, spawn their progeny, duck their parental responsibilities, to follow some nautical wanderlust, chasing a tramp steamer across the Pacific to some tropical paradise. After a trip like that, I’m sure they’d be most anxious to race back to the pristine headwaters of the Arroyo Simi.

However, it is important to realize that your efforts have shortchanged the other “nonnative habitat restoration” efforts underway in the Calleguas Creek watershed. It seems painfully apparent that the NMFS has failed to recognize that there is not any identified habitat for the California condor anywhere in southwest Ventura County. These poor birds are in worse shape than the steelhead. Not to belabor the point, but the saber-toothed tiger is in pretty dire circumstances without a significant hectare to call its own.

It seems we’d all be better served if the NMFS would begin by designating the entire planet as critical habitat. Then we could all get on with some serious projects!

ROBERT A. CARSON

Santa Paula