Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Change of Jurisdiction for Coastal Cutthroat Trout

The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have, in the past, jointly managed coastal cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki clarki) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (ESA). This document is to alert interested parties that, effective November 22, 1999, the FWS assumed all ESA regulatory jurisdiction over coastal cutthroat. The only exception is that NMFS will retain ESA jurisdiction over the endangered Umpqua River cutthroat trout Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU) until the agencies complete a final determination on the proposed de-listing of this ESU. The change in jurisdiction results from a joint agency determination that coastal cutthroat trout spend the majority of their life cycle in fresh water habitat.