White Sturgeon Among Species In USFWS 90-day Evaluation Over Possible Threatened Status
The following press release is courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service completes 90-day finding for species in California, Nevada and Oregon
Species include Crater Lake newt, Tecopa bird’s beak and the San Francisco estuary white sturgeon
Oct 7, 2024
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has completed initial 90-day findings on petitions to list the Crater Lake newt, Tecopa bird’s beak and the San Francisco estuary population of white sturgeon under the Endangered Species Act. The Fish and Wildlife Service’s review found the petitions presented credible information indicating listing of these species as threatened or endangered may be warranted, and in-depth status reviews will be initiated.
A substantial 90-day finding is the first step in the petition process and does not indicate the species will be listed as threatened or endangered; the substantial finding indicates only that an in-depth review is warranted and that a full status review should occur.
The Crater Lake newt, also known as Mazama newt, is found only within Crater Lake National Park in Klamath County, Oregon. The Crater Lake newt is a distinct darker-colored subspecies of the rough-skinned newt, which is widely distributed throughout the Pacific Northwest. Based on the Service’s review of the information included in the petition, we found that the petition presented credible information that an in-depth review of the species is warranted. Threats in the petition include habitat and food web alteration by signal crayfish, climate change , reduced effective population size, and range restriction and will be fully evaluated in the 12-month finding.
Tecopa bird’s beak, also known as Tecopa salty bird’s beak, is an annual plant that grows in groundwater-dependent desert wetlands in California and Nevada. Based on our review of the petition and readily available information, we determined the petition provided credible information that hydrological alteration and groundwater extraction (related to agriculture, exurban sprawl, and proposed geothermal power production and mineral exploration) may be threats to the plant, and an in-depth status review is warranted. The petitioners also presented information suggesting off-road vehicles, non-native ungulate grazing, herbivory, climate change, and invasive species , may be threats to the Tecopa bird’s beak that will also be fully evaluated in the 12-month finding.
The San Francisco Estuary population of white sturgeon is found in the Sacramento and San Joaquin River drainages and in the San Francisco Estuary of California. The white sturgeon ranges along the West Coast in coastal waters from Ensenada, Mexico, to Alaska. Although occasionally found in the ocean, they primarily reside in large rivers and their associated estuaries. Based on the review of the petition and readily available information regarding harmful algal blooms, we found that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the San Francisco Estuary population of white sturgeon as a distinct population segment may be warranted. The petitioners also presented information suggesting dams, water diversions, entrainment mortality, recreational harvest, poaching, pollution, climate change, proposed hatchery supplementation, ship strikes, and dredging may be threats to the San Francisco Estuary white sturgeon. All threats will be fully evaluated in the 12-month finding.
The Fish and Wildlife Service will now add these species to the national listing workplan based on the immediacy of the potential threats. Subject matter experts will fully evaluate potential threats during the 12-month status review, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act requirements, and review the best scientific and commercial information available when making that finding. The status review will inform whether listing is warranted, not warranted, or warranted but precluded. If the agency determines listing a species as threatened or endangered species is warranted, the agency will publish a proposed rule in the Federal Register, providing the public an opportunity to comment on the proposed listing.While the reviews are conducted, the Fish and Wildlife intends to work with partners to monitor and conserve the species and its habitat while it conducts the review.
The 90-day finding will be in the Federal Register Reading Room on October 7 and publish in the Federal Register on Tuesday, October 8. The finding can be found at www.federalregister.gov by searching the following docket numbers: Crater Lake newt: FWS-R8-ES-2024-0025; Tecopa bird’s beak: FWS-R8-ES-2023-0256; San Francisco estuary population of white sturgeon: FWS-R8-ES-2024-0049.
