Fairy shrimp have been found in vernal pools on the Shea
Parkside property in Bolsa Chica, Huntington Beach. The Shea
Parkside EIR does not mention any vernal pools or fairy shrimp.
Subsequent Shea submittals to the Coastal Commission have dismissed the
idea of a formal shrimp survey by stating that no threatened or
endangered shrimp species have ever been found at Bolsa Chica.
This is a poor justfication for avoiding a formal shrimp survey of the
Shea property, since given the multiple colors, sizes, and shapes of
the Shea fairy shrimp, it is likely that multiple species exist on the
property.
Elsewhere
in Orange County, endangered Riverside fairy shrimp are present in the
Trabuco
area foothills, and endangered San
Diego fairy shrimp are present
at nearby Fairview Regional
Park in Costa Mesa.
However, two samples of the Shea fairy shrimp from the same pool
on the same day were identified by the US Fish
& Wildlife Service to be Branchinecta lindahli, the
versatile fairy
shrimp, which is not on the Endangered Species List.
The following images were taken on January 19th, 2003, of the same
shrimp swimming in the vernal pool.
The following images were taken on January 25th, 2003, of the same
shrimp.
The shrimp was returned to the pool and swam away after the
conclusion
of the brief photography session.
The shrimp also come in a red color, as these images from February
1st and 3rd, 2003, indicate:
