Regulacje i polityka gospodarcza · 16.09.1999

Endangered and Threatened Species; Threatened Status for Two Chinook Salmon Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) in California

Previously, NMFS completed a comprehensive status review of west coast chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) populations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California and identified 15 ESUs within this range. After soliciting additional data to resolve scientific disagreements, NMFS now issues a final rule to list two ESUs as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Central Valley spring-run ESU was originally proposed as endangered, but new information indicates that the ESU should instead be considered a threatened species. The California Coastal ESU was originally proposed as threatened, as part of a larger Southern Oregon and California Coastal ESU, but new information supports a threatened listing for a revised ESU consisting of California coastal chinook salmon populations from Redwood Creek (Humboldt County) south through the Russian River. Other coastal populations to the north of this ESU (and originally proposed as threatened) are now considered part of a separate Southern Oregon and Northern California Coastal ESU that does not warrant listing at this time. NMFS is also making final listing determinations for two other chinook salmon ESUs originally prop