Public input sought for plan to conserve Perry County fish habitat

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- The first of two public meetings regarding Perry County's Community Conservation Plan, which outlines the county's voluntary efforts to protect the habitat of the cave-dwelling Grotto sculpin, took place Tuesday afternoon before a draft of the plan is submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The 2 1/2 inch fish is believed to live only in Perry County, and could be designated an endangered species in September after an evaluation by Fish and Wildlife. After reaching a settlement agreement last year with the environmental group Wild Earth Guardians, Fish and Wildlife will evaluate 400 species, including the Grotto sculpin, for possible addition to the endangered list.

What most concerns Perry County residents are the cave systems in which the fish reside will be designated a "critical habitat." According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website, an area is considered a critical habitat if it provides essential features for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and requires special management and protection.

To avoid this label, which would require heavy regulation and protect the fish, members of the Perry County Plan Committee have proposed educational objectives that focus on water quality.

"Good water quality benefits the fish and it benefits the people," said Celeste Vanderbrugen, southeast region community development specialist for the University of Missouri Extension, who commended the county for its commitment to responsible land stewardship.

"Everything that was going to be regulated is now voluntary and part of the community plan," she said. "The point of the community plan is to self-regulate and build on community successes."

Two major threats to water quality were the many sinkholes in Perryville, some of which have been used in the past for waste disposal, and soil erosion, said Frank Wideman, natural resource engineer for the University of Missouri Extension and plan committee member.

"Nearly all modern chemicals, fertilizers and non-organics are designed to attach themselves to the soil and stay on site, unless they're eroded away," Wideman said.

Solutions in the county's plan to address erosion include planting vegetation buffers near streams and ponds and using a diverse crop rotation to improve soil health.

Once the draft of the plan is submitted, it will be entered into the Federal Register and will be available for public comment for a 30-day period. A copy of the plan will be posted to the University of Missouri Extension page at extension.missouri.edu/perry.

To suggest changes to the plan, email the committee before the Friday deadline at perryedagrotto@gmail.com

The second public meeting will be 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Perryville Area Career and Technology Center.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

326 College St., Perryville, MO