On June 6, 2005, NOAA Fisheries Service announced that a stock of Puget Sound herring doesn’t qualify for protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) because it doesn’t meet the standard for a "species" under the law. The stock is known as Cherry Point herring because of its location in the sound, and its numbers have fluctuated widely over the past 10 years. This herring population was petitioned for ESA listing in May 2004 by a group of environmental organizations.

• News Release (PDF 77KB)
• Questions & Answers (PDF 42KB)
• June 7, 2005, Federal Register Notice on ESA Determination (PDF 84KB)
• 2005 Herring Status Review (PDF 1.4MB)
• Aug. 10, 2004, Federal Register Notice on Initial Petition Finding (PDF 73KB)
• May 2004 Supplemental Petition to List Herring (PDF 773KB)
• January 2004 Petition to List Herring (PDF 2.5MB)
• 2001 Herring Status Review