The California Fish and Game Commission has unanimously voted to list the Southern California steelhead trout as an endangered species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA).
Sandra Jacobson, spokeswoman for the California Trout organization, applauded the commission's decision and thanked the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for their comprehensive species status review and long-standing support for Southern steelhead recovery.
Southern steelhead trout are known for their ability to survive in warmer water, unlike typical steelhead species that require cool, clean water to thrive.
Historically, tens of thousands of Southern steelhead swam in Southern California rivers and streams, but their numbers have dwindled significantly due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and urbanization.
The organization plans to work with partners to implement the state's conservation plan for the fish, which includes removing fish passage barriers, expediting the removal of obsolete dams, eliminating non-native aquatic species that threaten prime steelhead habitat, securing instream flow, and restoring watersheds.
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