Capture and Relocation
If California freshwater shrimp must be temporarily excluded from portions of the project area during in-water work, a project-specific capture and relocation plan should be submitted to USFWS for review and approval. It is recommended that the capture and relocation plan be provided to USFWS with the ESA Section 7(a)(2) Review Form to avoid delays in project implementation. The following procedures should be considered during development of the plan:
a. Prior to any California freshwater shrimp handle/capture activities, the USFWS will be contacted to identify relocations sites and options appropriate for the species in the location of the project activity.
b. California freshwater shrimp will be captured by hand-held nets (e.g., heavy-duty aquatic dip nets [12-inch Dframe net] or small minnow dip nets), relocated out of the work area in the net or placed in buckets containing stream water, and moved directly to the nearest suitable habitat in the same branch of the creek. To minimize holding time, suitable habitat will be identified prior to capturing California freshwater shrimp. Suitable habitat is defined as creek sections that will remain wet over the summer and where banks are structurally diverse, with undercut banks, exposed fine root systems, overhanging woody debris, or overhanging vegetation. No California freshwater shrimp will be placed in buckets containing other aquatic species.
c. Once the USFWS-Approved Biologist has determined that all shrimp have been effectively relocated, barrier seines or exclusion fencing with mesh no greater than 5 millimeters will be installed to prevent shrimp from moving back in, as appropriate.
d. Capture, handling, and monitoring of California freshwater shrimp will be conducted by a USFWS-Approved Biologist, with assistance as necessary from another Qualified Biologist, to safely and effectively complete the task. The USFWS-Approved Biologist will take the lead on all capture, handling, and monitoring and will at all times be present and in direct supervision of any supporting Qualified Biologist(s). The USFWSApproved Biologist will report the number of captures, releases, injuries, and mortalities to the USFWS within 30 days of project completion.
e. Not to exceed the self-imposed take limit of no more than 3% of captured and relocated individuals injured or killed per project.