LAKEPORT, Calif. – With the Clear Lake hitch proposed for endangered species listings at the state and federal levels, several local groups will host an informational workshop next month to explain the process to the community.
The Chi Council for the Clear Lake Hitch, Lake County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee, and University of California Cooperative Extension will co-host a public informational workshop on the Endangered Species Act listing process for the Clear Lake hitch at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3.
The meeting will take place in the Board of Supervisors chambers, located on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., in Lakeport.
The meeting is free and open to the public, and no reservations are needed.
In September the Center for Biological Diversity filed state and federal petitions to list the hitch – once a staple food of the Pomo tribes – as an endangered species, citing the fish’s plummeting numbers and changing habitat.
The Dec. 3 workshop, which will be co-chaired by Chi Council Chair Peter Windrem and Fish and Wildlife Committee Chair Greg Giusti, will share information about the hitch, their ecology and the listing process, which can last several years.
It’s also meant to foster open dialog in a transparent atmosphere to address the community’s concerns about the process.
An expert panel including representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Fish and Game, Center for Biological Diversity and local tribes will be on hand to answer questions.
The meeting is informational only; no decisions will be made.
For additional information about the hitch and the listing process, visit the Chi Council Web site, www.lakelive.info/chicouncil .
For more details about the meeting or to submit written questions in advance, email the Chi Council at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.