Press Release
Bay-Delta longfin smelt population falls short of test for federal protection, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to continue evaluating status of rangewide population
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) today announced that the Bay-Delta population of longfin smelt does not meet the legal criteria for protection as a species subpopulation under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The Service simultaneously announced that it is seeking additional information for a broader assessment of the longfin smelt that could lead to future action, although no decision can be made before reviewing any new information.
The Service determination came in response to a petition seeking protection under the ESA as a distinct population segment (DPS) for only the longfin smelt population in the Bay-Delta. Longfin smelt live in estuaries along the Pacific Coast from the Bay Area to Alaska.
The Service explained that, because some Bay-Delta longfin smelt migrate into the Pacific Ocean and can travel up the coast to breed with longfin further north, they fail to meet the criteria for protection as a DPS. Under existing policy, for designation as a DPS the population segment must be
The Service simultaneously announced that it is seeking additional information for a broader assessment of the longfin smelt that could lead to future action, although no decision can be made before reviewing any new information.
The Service determination came in response to a petition seeking protection under the ESA as a distinct population segment (DPS) for only the longfin smelt population in the Bay-Delta. Longfin smelt live in estuaries along the Pacific Coast from the Bay Area to Alaska.
The Service explained that, because some Bay-Delta longfin smelt migrate into the Pacific Ocean and can travel up the coast to breed with longfin further north, they fail to meet the criteria for protection as a DPS. Under existing policy, for designation as a DPS the population segment must be
