Frequently Asked Questions on the Petition to List Olympic Peninsula Steelhead as a Threatened or Endangered Distinct Population Segment

Why are you making this status review available now?

In the interest of fulfilling our obligation to provide meaningful consultation and coordination with tribal officials, the West Coast Region (WCR) has shared the status review report with Northwest Tribes with Usual and Accustomed fishing areas in the region of OP steelhead. The report is now considered a public document and is available for download from our website.

Why did the status review team conclude that the OP steelhead distinct population segment (DPS) is most likely to be at moderate risk of extinction?

Factors that contributed to moderate risk finding for OP steelhead included a decline in abundance (42% decline in total run size from 1991-1995 to 2018-2022), particularly in the four largest river basins (Hoh, Queets, Quinault, Quillayute) even with a change in recreational harvest to catch-and-release and relatively low harvest in the last few years (2021-now). Very low abundance for summer-run populations throughout the DPS and winter-run steelhead populations along the Strait of Juan de Fuca were also identified as factors. Furthermore, analyses by the Status Review Team (SRT) of run sizes for winter-run populations in the four largest basins suggest that harvest rates were affecting the viability of these populations (harvest rates leading to negative population growth). The SRT acknowledged that some hatchery practices have been improved to reduce interactions and the transfer of maladapted genes from hatchery fish to natural-origin fish; however, the ongoing use of hatchery stocks originating from outside the region present a continued risk to the natural populations. Also, available information does not support management strategies that assume that all hatchery fish spawn before March 15, while all natural-origin fish spawn after that date. Therefore, hatchery fish entering later could potentially spawn with natural fish (which genetic data suggests has occurred) and use of the March 15th cut-off allows excessive harvest of natural-origin fish of fisheries targeting hatchery prior to March 15.  Finally, climate change has already impacted habitat in the Olympic Peninsula and further climatic change effects in the next 40-50 years are likely to increasingly harm steelhead populations in the DPS, especially among less abundant summer-run populations.

What other risk factors were identified by the status review team, though determined not to be the biggest risk threats?

Ongoing legacy impacts of forestry practices (even with recent habitat restoration) continue to impact this DPS, mainly along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and to a lesser extent in portions of the largest river systems on the Pacific Coast. Along the Pacific Coast, many rivers extend into the Olympic National Park where habitat has been largely protected for over 100 years (first as a national monument in 1909 then as a Park in 1938), with no recent logging, and conditions are good. Analysis that the status review team received from the State and Tribal fisheries co-managers suggests that factors like pink salmon abundance, sea surface temperature, and North Pacific Gyre Oscillation are also negatively affecting population viability as these factors are correlated with reduced kelt and smolt survival.

What are the next steps?

Considering the conclusions in the status review report, NOAA Fisheries will next evaluate conservation efforts (both ongoing and proposed) to determine whether they may reduce threats to the species. For conservation efforts that have been implemented for long enough to show the likely effects on the species, we will evaluate them to determine how they affect our 12-month finding on the petition. For those efforts yet to be implemented, we will evaluate the certainty that the conservation effort will be implemented. For those efforts that have not yet demonstrated effectiveness, we will evaluate the certainty that the conservation effort will be effective.

Following that evaluation, the agency will publish a finding on the petition in the Federal Register.  A finding that ESA listing is not warranted, will result in no further action.  A finding that listing may be warranted, will include a proposal to list the species and solicit comment before a final decision is made.