Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Determination of Threatened Status for Bull Trout in the Coterminous United States

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, determine threatened status for all populations of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) within the coterminous United States, with a special rule, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This determination is based on our finding that the Coastal-Puget Sound and St. Mary-Belly River population segments are threatened, coupled with our earlier findings of threatened status for the Klamath River, Columbia River, and Jarbidge River population segments. These population segments are disjunct and geographically isolated from one another with no genetic interchange between them due to natural and man-made barriers. These population segments collectively encompass the entire range of the species in the coterminous United States. Therefore, for the purposes of consultation and recovery, we recognize these five distinct population segments as interim recovery units. With this final rule, the bull trout will now be listed as threatened throughout its entire range in the coterminous United States. The Coastal-Puget Sound bull trout population segment encompasses all Pacific coast drainages within Washington, including Puget Sound. The St. Mary-Belly River bull trout population segment occurs in northwest Montana. Bull trout are threatened by the combined effects of habitat degradation, fragmentation and alterations associated with dewatering, road construction and maintenance, mining, and grazing; the blockage of migratory corridors by dams or other diversion structures; poor water quality; incidental angler harvest; entrainment (process by which aquatic organisms are pulled through a diversion or other device) into diversion channels; and introduced non-native species. This final determination was based on the best available scientific and commercial information including current data and new information received during the comment period.