The Foskett speckled dace, a diminutive fish species native to only one spring in Eastern Oregon, is set to be removed from the federal list of endangered species, officials announced Thursday.
The dace’s recovery is just one of several fish species that have seen comebacks in recent years. It was proposed for removal last year.
“The Service is thrilled with Oregon’s progress,” Robyn Thorson, Pacific Region Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said in a statement. “During the last five years, this is the fourth fish we have officially delisted or proposed for delisting due to recovery in the state.”
The Foskett speckled dace was first listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1985 after biologists realized that it only existed in one location at a remote spring in Lake County and was extremely vulnerable to habitat loss. The Bureau of Land Management purchased more than 150 acres surrounding the spring, located about 30 miles east of the town of Lakeview. Federal officials worked to protect the population at Foskett Spring and introduced the fish at a second location nearby.
From 2011 through 2016, the fish's population fluctuated from as low as 1,728 to a high of 24,888. Prior to listing, the population was estimated to be 1,500 to 2,000.
"BLM is proud to have been a part of the Foskett speckled dace recovery effort," Theresa Hanley, Acting State Director for the agency, said in a statement. "We created habitat and established a second population at nearby Dace Spring, and led open water restoration efforts at Foskett Spring. Our partnership recovery efforts led to an increase in the species distribution and abundance, and ultimately its recovery.”
Earlier this year, officials announced that another endangered fish in Oregon, the Borax Lake chub, had also made a resounding recovery.
“Our commitment to working closely with local and state partners is really paying off, and we can now direct our focus to species that are more in need of recovery efforts,” Thorson said.
-- Kale Williams
503-294-4048
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