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SUBJECTS › ENVIRONMENT › ESA Salmon › Endangered Species: Salmon & Bull Trout - The Issue
Updated 09/08

Endangered Species: Salmon & Bull Trout - The Issue

Contents

Background to Listings

Currently populations of salmon, steelhead, and trout are listed as endangered or threatened in the state of Washington. Following a September 2001 U.S. District Court ruling (Alesa Valley Alliance v. Donald Evans) that rejected how NMFS treats hatchery stocks in its listing determinations, the agency received several petitions seeking to delist, or to redefine and list salmon and steelhead ESUs (evolutionary significant units) on the basis of the Court’s ruling. 

In response to the petitions NMFS initiated status reviews on the  ESUs In June of 2005 NMFS published its final determinations and finalized the proposed amendments to the existing protective regulations, promulgated under section 4(d) of the ESA, for 16 threatened ESUs. See Final Rule,  70 Federal  Register 37160 (June 28, 2005) ( 294 KB).  The final listing ESA determinations for 10 distinct population segments of West Coast Steelhead was published in  71 Federal Register  834 (January 5, 2006) ( 228 KB)  The Final Rule Designating Critical Habitat for Bull Trout was published in 70 Federal Register 56212 (September 26, 2005) ( 3.66 MB)

In March of 1999 the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) listed seven Washington salmon populations as "endangered" or "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. This action brought the total of endangered salmon and steelhead listings by NMFS in Washington to 13. NMFS had listed six others between 1992 and 1999. In addition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) added two populations of Bull Trout in November 1999 to four it had listed in 1998.  In June 2005 the Lower Columbia Coho was added as a threatened specie.  In May 2007 the Puget Sound Steelhead  was listed as threatened.

The final rules, known as the 4(d) Rule, applying steelhead became effective September 8, 2000. The provisions applying to salmon evolutionary significant units (ESUs) became effective on January 6, 2001.  NOAA Fisheries’ Citizen’s Guide to the 4(d) Rule ( 869 KB)and the updated 4(d) Rule Implementation Binder ( 597 KB) August 2003 provide information and guidance to state and local governments, Tribal governments, and anyone interested in having their programs considered under a 4(d) limit.

    Salmon Recovery Planning

    Listed Fish Populations in Washington

    List of Fish by Population

    Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
    • Maps of Chinook ESU's - NMFS 
    • Chinook Salmon -  NMFS
      • Puget Sound Chinook (threatened 3-24-99)
      • Lower Columbia Chinook (threatened 3-24-99)
      • Upper Columbia Spring-run Chinook (endangered 3-24-99)
      • Snake River Spring/Summer-run Chinook (threatened 4-22-92)
      • Snake River Fall-run Chinook (threatened 4-22-92)
    Chum (Oncorhynchus keta) Coho Salmon  (Oncorhynchus kisutch) Sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka) Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
    • Maps of Steelhead ESU's - NMFS
    • West Coast Steelhead - NMFS
      • Upper Columbia River Steelhead (endangered 8-19-97)
      • The Lower Columbia Steelhead (threatened 3-19-98)
      • Snake River Basin Steelhead (threatened 8-18-97)
      • Puget Sound Steelhead (threatened 5-7-07)
    Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus)

      The Effects of Climate Change

      The Salmon/Bull Trout Issue in Other States and Canada

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