New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Requests Public Comments on its Draft 2020 Biennial Review Document

By NM Game and Fish

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish requests public comments on its Draft 2020 Biennial Review of Threatened and Endangered Wildlife Species listed under the Wildlife Conservation Act (Section 17-2-40 NMSA 1978). Comments on the draft document will be accepted until Sept. 10, 2020.

The Biennial Review process requires that staff biologists review the current status of all State-listed species and determine for each species whether it should be “uplisted” from threatened to endangered, “downlisted” from endangered to threatened or remain unchanged in the listings. Adding or removing species from the State List is a separate process.

The sole change in status recommended in the current review is an uplisting from threatened to endangered for Narrow-headed Gartersnake. Listing decisions are based only on biological and ecological factors. The Wildlife Conservation Act contains no provisions for critical habitat, habitat regulation or other restrictions regarding state-listed wildlife except to prevent the direct taking of the species.

The Department will create a repository at the Headquarters in Santa Fe, and all public comments regarding species’ listing status received during the review will be kept in the repository file. Public comments and final recommendations will be presented to the State Game Commission at its Oct. 16, 2020 meeting.

The Draft 2020 Biennial Review document and companion uplisting proposal for Narrow-headed Gartersnake can be viewed on the Department’s website, or obtained by mail at New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Attn: John Bulger, P. O. Box 25112, Santa Fe, NM 87504; or by email,john.bulger@state.nm.us. Comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Sept. 10, 2020, by email or regular mail at the addresses listed above.