Oregon Chub Recovery: An ESA Success Story

Oregon chub (Oregonichthys crameri), a small minnow that is endemic to the Willamette Valley, were federally listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1993. The species’ status was downlisted to threatened under the ESA in 2010. In 2012, it met the criteria for delisting, and the delisting was finalized in 2015. Recovery was achieved by involving a diverse group of stakeholders, developing a robust recovery plan, and by using of a variety of regulatory tools. In preparation for delisting, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife drafted a post-delisting monitoring plan (PDM) for Oregon chub.  This plan outlines monitoring needed to verify the species remains secure after ESA protections no longer apply.  The goals of the PDM are to outline the monitoring for species distribution, abundance, and threats.  It identifies circumstances triggering increased monitoring and when protections are no longer needed.  We will discuss how  the recovery plan contributed to species recovery, summarize the goals of the PDM, and present our approach for creating partnerships in a diverse, working landscape through outreach and by using ESA tools.