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Important changes related to the federal Environmental Species Act (ESA) have occurred recently:
1. Klamath River and Columbia River population segments of bull trout were both listed as threatened in June, 1998 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) under the ESA. The Klamath River population segment occurs in seven geographically isolated stream areas located in northern California and southern Oregon. The Columbia River segment occurs throughout portions of the Columbia River Basin in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana.
2. USFWS also announced in June, the proposed listing of three additional bull trout population segments as threatened. The Coastal-Puget Sound population segment occurs in coastal drainages and the Puget Sound area in western Washington. The Jarbidge River population segment occurs in northern Nevada and southern Idaho and the St. Mary-Belly River population segment occurs in the St. Mary and Belly Rivers in northwestern Montana. A final decision on these proposed listings is due in June, 1999.
3. USFWS announced they would begin a status review of Westslope Cutthroat Trout for potential listing as threatened under the federal ESA in response to an amended petition received from a number of conservation and environmental groups in January, 1998. West of the Continental Divide, the Westslope Cutthroat Trout is native to the Columbia River Basin and is distributed in northwest Montana and from northern Idaho south into the Snake River Basin. Its historic distribution also includes parts of eastern Washington and the John Day River drainage in Oregon. A finding on whether a proposed listing is warranted is expected in January, 1999.
4. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has listed Oregon Coast Coho Salmon as a threatened species under the federal ESA after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco denied a stay of an order by the U.S. District Court in Portland directing NMFS to reconsider their earlier decision to not list the species. The District Court order was in response to a legal suit brought by conservation groups. An appeal to the District Court mandate has been filed by the State of Oregon and U.S. Department of Justice, but it will likely not be acted upon until early in 1999.
Among the states of California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho, a total of 15 distinct population groups of salmon, steelhead and trout have now been listed as threatened and five groups have been listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act. In addition, 12 more groups have been proposed for listing as threatened and two more groups have been proposed for listing as endangered by either NMFS or the USFWS. Another four groups are currently undergoing status review.
Here is the current schedule for ESA-related decisions by the USFWS & NMFS: