The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has released the 2022 Status Review for Lahontan Cutthroat Trout (LCT). The Service conducts these reviews to ensure federally listed species continue to have the appropriate level of protection under the Endangered Species Act. It is not a regulatory document, though it does provide one of the following recommendations: reclassify the species, remove the species from the list, or maintain the species current classification.
The 2022 LCT Status Review recommends no change in listing status for the species.
During the status review process the Service assessed the best available scientific data and ranked existing populations by several metrics to provide the best possible insight on the species’ current status. Through this process we learned that the number of LCT populations managed for recovery continues to decrease due to habitat degradation and loss and competition from and hybridization with non-native trout; genetic health metrics appear to be relatively low, and nearly half of the existing populations are not likely to become resilient without significant human intervention. However, we also learned that while genetic health metrics are low, many populations have persisted for decades, indicating some level of resiliency. It is also clear that the status of several populations could be improved within the next 5-10 years by implementing low-to-moderate effort conservation actions to improve habitat, increase genetic diversity, and reduce threats from non-native trout. Recovery partners are currently poised to use this information and find opportunities to make advances in LCT recovery. Partners are nearing completion of a habitat monitoring program to assess the current status of occupied habitats. In addition, we are better identifying climate resilient habitat and developing a conservation efforts database to track ongoing conservation work to improve efficacy. Recovery partners have also prioritized the development of a genetics management plan to better understand current genetic health and how to improve it. These tools will provide the foundational knowledge necessary to prioritize where and how partners focus recovery efforts in the coming years and should improve conservation outcomes prior to the next status review.