Bull Trout Habitat Designated

On Tuesday, Oct 12, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rolled out its final rule designating 19,000 miles of streams and 488,000 acres of lakes as bull trout critical habitat.

Bull trout live in mountain streams and lakes of the Northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest, spread across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Nevada.

Idaho plays an important role in the survival of bull trout, and the USFWS recognized this with protections that cover almost 9,000 miles of Idaho streams.

Bull trout are important indicators of water quality and ecological health because they need the coldest water of any trout or salmon species to survive. Plus, bull trout are fall spawners. As a result, they are especially susceptible to climate change since decreased snowpacks, increased temperatures and the variable timing of runoff are all affected by a changing climate.

Under the Endangered Species Act, the USFWS is required to designate habitat for listed species. Once designated, federal projects cannot adversely impact this habitat. But the designation doesn't affect private landowners unless a federal permit or decision is involved.

Regardless of whether habitat is designated, it's unlawful to harass or harm endangered species, and developers and federal agencies must consult with the USFWS on the impact that projects (such as road construction, timber sales and mines) will have.

The critical habitat designation effectively raises the bar on habitat protections, but it doesn't significantly change underlying protections for the species.

Still, it's a step forward in protecting bull trout. Thanks to the USFWS for recognizing the need to designate and protect their habitat and extend protections to the streams that bull trout call home.

Learn More: Download a Google Earth File of the streams and rivers designated as critical habitat or watch of a video on bull trout.