A U.S. Fish and Wildlife employee reintroduces salmon into a Central Valley river.
Aerial view of restored floodplain habitat and agricultural property near Sacramento, California.
California Coastal Chinook Salmon
The California Coastal Chinook salmon is a threatened species. NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region, along with the Science Centers, work to protect and conserve this species under the Endangered Species Act.
Species Status
ESA Listing Status: Threatened on September 16, 1999 (64 FR 50394) and June 28, 2005 (70 FR 37159); updated April 14, 2014 (79 FR 20802)
ESU Description: This evolutionarily significant unit, or ESU, includes naturally spawned Chinook salmon originating from rivers and streams south of the Klamath River to and including the Russian River.
Current Population Trends: ESA Status Reviews and 5-Year Updates for California Coastal Chinook Salmon
Critical Habitat: Designated September 2, 2005
Protective Regulations: Issued June 28, 2005 (70 FR 37159)
Recovery Plan: Final Coastal Multispecies Recovery Plan for California Coastal Chinook Salmon, Northern California Steelhead and Central California Coast Steelhead (2016)
Species Recovery
NOAA Fisheries delineated eight recovery domains, or geographic recovery planning areas, for the ESA-listed salmon and steelhead populations on the West Coast. The North Central California Coast Recovery Domain extends from the Redwood Creek watershed in Humboldt County south to Aptos Creek. It includes the tributaries of San Francisco Bay, but excludes the Sacramento-San Joaquin River basins (see map of recovery domains). This domain includes five ESA-listed salmon and steelhead species:
- California Coastal Chinook salmon
- Northern California steelhead
- Central California Coast steelhead
- Central California Coast coho salmon
- Southern Oregon and Northern California Coast coho salmon (which has its own Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Recovery Domain)
NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region manages recovery planning and implementation for this domain through its California Coastal Area Office.
Recovery Plan
Working with its partners, NOAA Fisheries released the Final Coastal Multispecies Recovery Plan for California Coastal Chinook Salmon, Northern California steelhead, and Central California Coast steelhead in October 2016. The plan is based on the biological needs of the fish and provides the foundation for restoring the populations to healthy levels.
Recovery Plan Resources
More Information
- Chinook Salmon Status Reviews and Five-Year Update
- Chinook Salmon Federal Register Notices
- Salmon and Steelhead Federal Register Rules and Notices prior to August 2019
- Chinook Salmon Maps & GIS Data
- Salmon Publications
- Learn about what you can do to help endangered and threatened salmon recover
- Related Stories
Contact
If you have questions or would like to learn more about recovery efforts in your watershed or would like to get involved directly, please contact:
West Coast Region - California Coastal Office
Erin Seghesio
Email: Erin.Seghesio@noaa.gov
Phone: 707.578.8515
A U.S. Fish and Wildlife employee reintroduces salmon into a Central Valley river.
Aerial view of restored floodplain habitat and agricultural property near Sacramento, California.
