The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the Bonneville cutthroat trout will receive additional review under the Endangered Species Act.
The service is opening a public comment period to allow interested parties an opportunity to provide information regarding the status of the trout.
In 2001, the service determined that listing the Bonneville cutthroat trout was not warranted. The service was subsequently sued by the Center for Biological Diversity on the merits of that finding.
In 2007, the District Court of Colorado dismissed the lawsuit. However, the FWS withdrew the finding due to subsequent development of a policy enabling it to evaluate whether a species may be threatened in a significant portion of its range.
The FWS is initiating a new status review to include an analysis of whether the Bonneville cutthroat trout is warranted for listing as threatened or endangered in any significant portion of its range.
A portion of a subspecies range is considered significant if it is part of the current range of the species and contributes meaningfully to the ability to conserve the species.
The Bonneville cutthroat trout is found primarily in Utah and in parts of Wyoming, Idaho and Nevada in the Bonneville Basin.
To ensure the status review is complete and based on the best available science, the FWS is seeking any new information regarding the historic and current population status and distribution of, and potential threats to, the Bonneville cutthroat trout throughout its range, or any significant portion of its range. Information regarding management programs for the conservation of the species is also requested.
Comments and information will be accepted until April 1 and can be submitted electronically via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at: www.regulations.gov, or can be mailed or hand-delivered to Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R6-ES-2008-0023; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203.
Information submitted in response to the 12-month finding published in 2001 will be considered and need not be resubmitted.
For more information, visit the service's Web site at: www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/fish/bct/.
The Bonneville cutthroat trout is one of 14 subspecies of cutthroat trout — Oncorhynchus clarki — native to interior regions of western North America. Cutthroat trout owe their common name to the distinctive red or orange slash just below both sides of the lower jaw.
The trout generally have large spots that are more evenly distributed on the sides of the body than the Yellowstone subspecies. However, there is variation in physical characteristics. Bonneville cutthroat trout are generally considered dull in color compared to other cutthroat subspecies but still may exhibit bright red, orange and yellow colors.
The Utah Legislature is reviewing HB117, which would allow fishing groups to temporarily lease water rights for the benefit of three native trout — the Bonneville cutthroat, the Colorado cutthroat and the Yellowstone cutthroat.
Under this bill, those with water rights will be able to lease to nonprofit fishing organizations those rights, which would make it possible to leave water in streams to protect the trout.