Document Details

Summary and Evaluation of Sacramento River Winter-Run Chinook Salmon ESU 2016

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) | December 12th, 2016


Many west coast salmon and steelhead (Oncorhynchus sp.) stocks have declined substantially from their historic numbers and now are at a fraction of their historical abundance. There are several factors that contribute to these declines, including: overfishing, loss of freshwater and estuarine habitat, hydropower development, poor ocean conditions, and hatchery practices.  These factors, among others, led to NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) listing of 28 salmon and steelhead stocks in California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington under the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The ESA, under Section 4(c)(2), directs the Secretary of Commerce to review the listing classification of threatened and endangered species at least once every five years. After completing this review, the Secretary must determine if any species should be: (1) removed from the list; (2) have its status changed from threatened to endangered; or (3) have its status changed from endangered to threatened. The term “threatened species” is defined under the ESA as any species which is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range. An “endangered species” under the ESA is any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

The most recent listing determinations for west coast salmon and steelhead occurred in 2005 and 2006. NMFS previously completed a 5-year status review in 2011 and concluded that the status of the Sacramento River (SR) winter-run Chinook salmon Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) should remain as endangered. This document summarizes NMFS’s current 5-year review of the ESA-listed SR winter-run Chinook salmon ESU.

Keywords

anadromous fish, endangered species, fisheries, native fish, Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta