Monday December 16, 2024
SeafoodSource —
NOAA Fisheries has determined that four species of West Coast salmon and steelhead trout should remain classified as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) after conducting five-year reviews of their recovery progress.
“These reviews help us understand where we are making progress and where we need to focus more attention,” NOAA Fisheries Portland office Branch Supervisor for Protected Resources Robert Markle said in a statement. “While we have a lot more work to do to recover these species, this close look helps identify those actions that can make the biggest difference for the fish.”
There are currently 28 species of Pacific salmon and steelhead trout listed under the ESA. The four species the agency recently reviewed were Southern Oregon/Northern California coast coho salmon, California coastal chinook salmon, Central California coast steelhead, and California Central Valley steelhead.
“Habitat restoration carried out by numerous partners has addressed major factors limiting all four species and helped prevent local extinction,” NOAA Fisheries said in a release. “Many challenges still stand in the path of species recovery. All four species suffer from historical habitat loss and degradation and the effects of climate change – drought, warming water temperatures, and increasing frequency and intensity of wildfire.”