The continued growth of the human-built environment in Pima County, Arizona will result in the “incidental take” of species that are listed under the Endangered Species Act. To avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts to both listed and unlisted species and their habitats, Pima County is submitting this Multi-species Conservation Plan for 44 species that may be impacted as a result of the otherwise lawful activities of Pima County and its development community. The Incidental Take Permit, also called a Section 10 permit, will be for 30 years. This MSCP is part of the required documentation needed to receive an Incidental Take Permit under Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA.

The Multiple Species Conservation Plan will complete the land use planning process in a conflict between competing interests on the question of growth. A path of balance was chosen by advancing the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. This second draft will be posted on the website and distributed to interested community and committee members. A public process will be conducted so that during 200t the document can be finalized and submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the application for a federal endangered species permit.

Arizona's fish story begins in 1904 with the publication of Morton Chambrlain's "Survey of Arizona Fishes", the first detailed study by an aquatic biologist of the area. He was able to count sixteen native species in Arizona. Today more than half are either extinct or listed as threatened or endangered, and most of the rest are considered to be imperiled. In Pima County, we count more extirpated native fish than remaining residents. The story, absent a fairly dramatic change in circumstances, will end with the extirpation or extinction of all native fish in the region. This report provides an opportunity to change the circumstances of aquatic and riparian systems in eastern Pima County.

Provides a snapshot of past and current conditions, and represents the very best of collaborative efforts between the expert community and County staff. This study was made possible by a gift from Dr. Wendell Minckley of a database that provided information about all known surveys of native fish within Pima County, including the species, river basin, drainage, date, number of specimens collected, collector, museum catalogue number, citations, locality, and any comments made.

Provides an overview of the issues related to monitoring the 36 species proposed for coverage under the forthcoming Section 10 permit to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. By integrating the requirements for MSCP compliance and effectiveness monitoring with the challenges inherent in single-species monitoring, this document seeks a balance between species-specific monitoring and other habitat, ecosystem and threats-based measures (parameters). By designing such a program, Pima County will be in a better position to anticipate and adjust management actions for the conservation of covered species and the ecosystems that support them.