Northern California Steelhead

The Northern California Steelhead 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.

West Coast

Species Status

ESA Listing Status: Threatened on June 07, 2000 (65 FR 36074) and January 5, 2006 (71 FR 833); updated April 14, 2014 (79 FR 20802)

DPS Description: This distinct population segment, or DPS, includes naturally spawned anadromous steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) originating below natural and manmade impassable barriers in California coastal river basins from Redwood Creek to and including the Gualala River.

Current Population Trends: Northern California Steelhead Status Reviews and Five-Year UpdatesCritical 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 Coastal Final 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.