County Continues Protecting Clear Lake Hitch

The Clear Lake Hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi) is a fish species endemic to Clear Lake and has been a primary food and cultural resource for Pomo peoples (who refer to the fish as “chi,” pronounced CH-eye) for thousands of years in the lands and watersheds now encompassed by Lake County and nearby counties. The Clear Lake Hitch remains central to the health, food security and well-being of sovereign Tribal Nations within Lake County and beyond.

The Clear Lake Hitch thrives in shallow, warm, slow-moving waters along the lake’s shores and sloughs, feeding on insects and crustaceans. They live about five to six years, reaching reproductive maturity by their second year (females) or first year (males), growing up to 13 inches. Juveniles stay in shallow areas to avoid predators. The Hitch spawns in tributaries from February to July, swimming against currents and overcoming small barriers to reach spawning grounds. However, much is unknown about the period after spawning, when eggs hatch and fingerlings make their way downstream. Drought and water use are impacting the Hitch, but the exact causes are unclear.

In 2014, the Clear Lake Hitch was designated as “threatened” under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA), prompting habitat and water quality regulations in 2016. The Blue Ribbon Committee for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake was established in 2017 to restore the lake and support local economies. Despite a 2020 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) finding that federal listing was “not warranted,” advocacy for emergency protections intensified in 2022. Tribal governments, the Center for Biological Diversity and state officials requested urgent action.

An Intergovernmental summit was established in 2021, led by local area tribes, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW, a Department of the California Natural Resources Agency), and efforts to complete the “Conservation Strategy for Clear Lake Hitch” are being prioritized.

The Lake County Board of Supervisors is concerned about conditions that contribute to the rapidly declining populations of the Clear Lake Hitch, which risks extinction. This threatens the food security and cultural heritage of the Pomo peoples and sovereign nations in the area. Additionally, the extinction of the Clear Lake Hitch could disrupt agriculture, mining, recreation and tourism reliant on Clear Lake and its tributaries. During their November 5 meeting, the Board of Supervisors agreed unanimously that the local emergency to protect the Clear Lake Hitch will continue until they are no longer endangered or threatened.

Most recently, the 3rd Government Summit on the Clear Lake Hitch was held on November 20 and 21, 2024 to continue to unite tribal and agency leadership in ongoing Clear Lake Hitch recovery efforts. Participating agencies included Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California, Scotts Valley Band of Pomo, Big Valley Rancheria, Robinson Rancheria Pomo Indians of California and Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake. To view the summit information, click here.

Guest speakers included Sarah Ryan from Big Valley Pomo EPA and U.S. Geological Survey/UC Davis on the topic of improving water quality to help Clear Lake Hitch, and also Angela DePalma-Dow from the Lake County Watershed Protection District, Daniella Santana-Cazares from the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake EPA, Patricia Franklin from Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians EPA and Lindsay Dailey from Tribal EcoRestoration Alliance on the topics including how to protect the land, protect Clear Lake Hitch from invasive species, and discussion of management actions and recommendations for next steps.