2022 5-Year Review: Summary & Evaluation of Snake River Basin Steelhead
August 16, 2022
Many West Coast salmon and steelhead (Oncorhynchus sp.) stocks have declined substantially from their historical numbers and now are at a fraction of their historical abundance.
Many West Coast salmon and steelhead (Oncorhynchus sp.) stocks have declined substantially from their historical 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 collectively led to the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) listing of 28 salmon and steelhead stocks in California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington under the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).