In 2022, the Northwest Fisheries Science Center released an updated technical memorandum on the biological viability of Northwest populations of Pacific salmon and steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act. The report focuses on biological and environmental risk factors for these salmonids, and does not affect their listing status.
The report is an important part of the Endangered Species Act 5-Year Status Reviews. The Endangered Species Act (section 4) requires a status update at least every five years for all threatened and endangered species. NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region leads these reviews for Pacific salmon, and initiated the current review in 2019.
The new tech memo reports on the biological viability of 18 listed salmon and steelhead population groupings in the Pacific Northwest in support of the 5-Year Status Review. The report updates information on the status of these species, focusing on trends in abundance, productivity, spatial structure, and diversity. It is an update of similar reports published in 2005, 2011, and 2015.
The 2022 report does not determine listing status. Rather, the West Coast Region will incorporate the tech memo’s scientific findings into its status review. The West Coast Region will make final determinations about whether any changes in listing status are warranted, taking into account biological information and ongoing or planned protective efforts and recovery actions. The West Coast Region review is ongoing, and is expected to be released later in 2022.
