In September, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced the completion of a 5-year status review and a Species Status Assessment for bull trout in the lower 48 states.
USFWS is recommending no change to the current threatened listing status of the bull trout under the Endangered Species Act. The recommendation follows a thorough review of the best available science informed by an independently peer-reviewed Species Status Assessment, according to USFWS.
The Endangered Species Act requires the Service to review the status of threatened and endangered species every five years to determine whether they are receiving the appropriate level of protection.
The bull trout 5-year status review is informed by a peer-reviewed Species Status Assessment, which includes the best available scientific information to assess the species’ current needs, conditions, and threats, and models of future scenarios.
The latest analysis involved significant contributions from bull trout working groups comprised of scientific experts from federal, state, and Tribal agencies; a Tribal-specific review; as well as an independent peer review.
Progress toward recovering bull trout has been made through close partnerships with local, state, federal, and Tribal agencies since the original listing of the coterminous U.S. population in 1999. Remaining challenges to bull trout recovery were cited as a factor in the recommendation to continue its listing as Threatened.
USFWS noted that science has indicated that an increase to current levels of bull trout conservation is needed to stabilize future viability, and remaining threats, such as climate impacts, past and current habitat threats, and expanding distribution of non-native fishes.
The bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) is one of western North America’s most iconic fish species. Bull trout require cold, clean water and are extremely sensitive to habitat loss or degradation. In 1998, bull trout were listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.