NOAA's Fisheries Service received a petition in June 2001 from several environmental organizations requesting that the agency list the north American green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) under the Endangered Species Act.
May 21, 2009: NOAA's Fisheries Service proposed an Endangered Species Act Section 4(d) rule to apply take prohibitions to the southern distinct population segment of the North American green sturgeon. This population is under the jurisdiction of the NOAA Fisheries Service Southwest Region, and most of the information below on this proposed rule links to its Website. NOAA will consider and address all substantive comments received by 5 p.m. (PDT) on July 20, 2009. See the Federal Register notice, below, for more details. Contact Melissa Neuman, Southwest Region, 562-980–4115, for more information.
Nov. 3, 2008: NOAA's Fisheries Service extended the comment period on proposed green sturgeon critical habitat until Dec. 22, 2008. See the Federal Register notice (PDF 37KB) for details.
Sept. 8, 2008: NOAA's Fisheries Service proposed to designate critical habitat for the southern distinct population segment of North American green sturgeon under the Endangered Species Act. This population is under the jurisdiction of the NOAA Fisheries Service Southwest Region, and most of the information on proposed critical habitat links to its Website. The comment period closed on Dec. 22, 2008.
Apr. 7, 2006: NOAA's Fisheries Service listed the southern distinct population segment, or DPS, of north American green sturgeon as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. This population is under the jurisdiction of the NOAA Fisheries Service Southwest Region, and most of the information on this final listing links to its Website.
Apr. 6, 2005: NOAA's Fisheries Service proposed to list north American green sturgeon south of the Eel River, Calif., (the southern distinct population segment, or DPS) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The population of green sturgeon north of and including the Eel River (northern DPS) does not warrant listing under the ESA. This determination was made after a legal challenge to the agency’s 2003 decision (see below), followed by NOAA Fisheries’ re-evaluation of the two distinct population segments. New information had become available about green sturgeon during the past year. The presence of two spawning populations in the northern DPS and likely continued spawning in other rivers reaffirms the previous determination that this population does not warrant ESA listing. Because of concerns over the uncertainty and availability of data, the northern DPS will be placed on the NOAA Fisheries Service Species of Concern List. Its status will be re-assessed within five years if information warrants. This population is under the jurisdiction of the NOAA Fisheries Service Southwest Region, and most of the information on this listing proposal links to its Website.
Jan. 29, 2003: NOAA's Fisheries Service announced its determination that listing green sturgeon under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was not warranted. Because of remaining uncertainties about the population structure and status of the species, the agency added two distinct populations segments of green sturgeon to its list of candidate species.
2001 Petition to List North American Green Sturgeon under the ESA (PDF 264KB)
