Incidental Take Notice For Statewide Infrastructure Projects And Rare Fish

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue a Broad Incidental Take Permit/Authorization for the incidental taking of rare fish, which may result from transportation projects, including road, rail and trail projects across the state.  

Incidental take refers to the unintentional loss of individual endangered or threatened animals or plants that does not put the species' overall population at risk.

Within this proposed Broad Incidental Take Permit/Authorization, all transportation cofferdam installation and removals, dewatering activities and fish removals as a result of those dewatering activities, along with subsequent activities following dewatering, are included. 

All state endangered or threatened fish species in Wisconsin except the blue sucker, black buffalo, river redhorse, paddlefish and skipjack herring are covered under this Broad Incidental Take Permit/Authorization. However, if suitable spawning habitat for any of the aforementioned species is present, standard spawning timing restrictions per species would still apply. 

The presence of state listed fish species are confirmed in the respective vicinities of the project sites. DNR staff have determined that the proposed projects may result in the incidental taking of some rare fish.

The DNR concludes that the proposed projects will minimize impacts to the species by adhering to conservation measures; are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence or appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival and/or recovery of the state population of the species, the whole plant-animal community of which they are a part or the habitat that is critical to their existence; and have benefits to the public health, safety or welfare that justify the action.

Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect on the threatened or endangered species will be incorporated into the proposed Broad Incidental Take Permit/Authorization. Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on these fish species are available by visiting the DNR Incidental Take Public Notices webpage or upon request from DNR Conservation Biologist Stacy Rowe at 608-228-9796 or Stacy.Rowe@wisconsin.gov.

The public is encouraged to submit written comments regarding project-related impacts to these fish species by April 4, 2025 to:

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
c/o Stacy Rowe, DNR Conservation Biologist
2514 Morse St.
Janesville, WI 53545
Stacy.Rowe@wisconsin.gov or 608-228-9796