EDMONDS — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has until Dec. 1 to issue its long overdue finding on whether Olympic Peninsula steelhead warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act, according to a recent court order.
The Conservation Angler and Wild Fish Conservancy reached a settlement agreement with NOAA Fisheries, establishing a deadline requiring the agency to issue its finding.
The organizations sued Jan. 17, asking for the finding, which was originally required by Aug. 1, 2023.
“Under the court-ordered deadline, NOAA Fisheries must complete its 12-month finding on the organizations’ petition to list Olympic Peninsula steelhead under the ESA by Dec. 1,” according to a press release.
The settlement was reached in a lawsuit filed by the conservation groups challenging NOAA Fisheries for delaying ESA protections to Olympic Peninsula steelhead, according to the release.
At the time of filing, the agency’s determination was 535 days overdue.
“This settlement finally puts an end to the federal government’s inexcusable delay in deciding whether these magnificent fish deserve protection,” said John McMillan, executive director of The Conservation Angler. “Olympic Peninsula steelhead have been waiting for this decision for nearly two years beyond the statutory deadline. Every day of delay puts these fish at greater risk.”
Olympic Peninsula steelhead are a distinct population segment that occurs in the remote northwest corner of Washington state. Once numbering in the tens of thousands, these iconic fish have steadily declined throughout their range for decades due to commercial harvest, mismanaged recreational fisheries, hatchery operations, climate change, and legacy and contemporary effects from habitat degradation, according to the release.
“We’re pleased to reach this agreement, but the real work is just beginning,” said Emma Helverson, executive director of Wild Fish Conservancy. “NOAA has already acknowledged Olympic Peninsula steelhead face a moderate risk of extinction. This agreement ensures the agency can no longer delay action. We expect the agency to follow the science and provide these fish with the protections they desperately need.”
The Conservation Angler and Wild Fish Conservancy submitted a petition to list Olympic Peninsula steelhead under the ESA on Aug. 1, 2022, according to the release. Following the agency’s positive 90-day finding in February 2023, NOAA had one year from the petition submission date to complete a final determination.
In October 2024, NOAA released a status review report confirming that Olympic Peninsula steelhead are at moderate risk of extinction, according to the release. However, the agency failed to issue the required decision on the need for ESA-listing, prompting the lawsuit.
“The science is clear — Olympic Peninsula steelhead populations are in trouble and need immediate protection,” McMillan said. “This settlement ensures NOAA can no longer ignore its legal obligations to protect these imperiled fish.”
Olympic Peninsula steelhead face mounting pressures across their range, according to the release. Commercial and recreational fisheries continue to target these fish during their most vulnerable life stages. Hatchery operations threaten the genetic integrity of wild populations. Climate change has altered freshwater and ocean conditions, and decades of logging have degraded spawning and rearing habitat.
“These fish are indicators of ecosystem health throughout the Olympic Peninsula,” Helverson said. “Protecting Olympic Peninsula steelhead means protecting the entire web of life that depends on healthy rivers and forests in this unique region.”
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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.
