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.”
In its reviews, the agency highlighted the importance of removing four dams along the Klamath River as an important step for helping Southern Oregon/Northern California coast coho salmon. The planned removal of two dams along the Eel River will also help that species along with California coastal chinook salmon, NOAA Fisheries noted.
"We are confident that removing these dams will be a crucial step toward salmonid recovery by expanding access to resilient and diverse habitats, especially as we continue to confront the challenges of climate change,” NOAA Fisheries North Coast Branch Supervisor Joshua Fuller said.
The reviews highlight several other fish passage improvement projects that have opened up or improved habitat for salmon and steelhead, which is expected to help the species recover.
