Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Determination of Threatened Status for the Sacramento Splittail

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), determine threatened status for the Sacramento splittail (Pogonichthys macrolepidotus) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Sacramento splittail occur in Suisun Bay and the San Francisco Bay-Sacramento-San Joaquin River Estuary (Estuary) in California. The Sacramento splittail has declined by 62 percent over the last 15 years. This species is primarily threatened by changes in water flows and water quality resulting from the export of water from the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, periodic prolonged drought, loss of shallow-water habitat, introduced aquatic species, and agricultural and industrial pollutants. Designation of critical habitat is not prudent at this time. This rule implements the protection and recovery provisions afforded by the Act for Sacramento splittail.