Wednesday April 22, 2026
Center for Biological Diversity —
The Center for Biological Diversity sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today to force the agency to finalize Endangered Species Act protection for the Clear Lake hitch. These rare fish are found only in California’s Lake County and are teetering on the brink of extinction.
The agency missed a legally required January 2026 deadline to issue a final decision on protecting the species. The delay underscores a broader failure: In 2025 not a single plant or animal received Endangered Species Act protections, marking the first time that has happened since 1981.
“It’s appalling that the Trump administration continues to ignore the law while these iconic fish edge closer to extinction,” said Meg Townsend, a freshwater attorney at the Center. “Clear Lake hitch, the beloved ‘chi,’ are being stranded not just in drying streams, but in bureaucratic limbo. Without immediate protections we risk losing them forever.”