BOISE, Idaho – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing the completion of a 5-year status review and a Species Status Assessment for bull trout in the lower 48 states. The Service is recommending no change to the current threatened listing status of the bull trout under the Endangered Species Act. This recommendation follows a thorough review of the best available science informed by an independently peer-reviewed Species Status Assessment.
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. This 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. This work among recovery partners is a significant factor in the species not being recommended for listing as endangered. However, considerable challenges remain to recover the bull trout, resulting in the recommendation to continue its listing as Threatened. The 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 Service looks forward to continuing bull trout conservation alongside partners at local, state, Tribal, and federal agencies to fully recover the species.
