Eulachon
Eulachon listed as Threatened species
In the March 17, 2010 Federal Register, NOAA will list the Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus) as Threatened under the US Endangered Species Act. This fish, also called the candle fish because it is packed with so many calories you can light a dried one like a candle, is an important food source for many marine fish, birds and mammals. Historically it has been an important food source for many Native American tribes.
Interestingly, we don't have good data on Eulachon numbers in the Salish Sea. Unlike with herring, Washington State does not conduct quantitative stock assessments for eulachon, but it is believed that eulachon stocks have declined in the Columbia (WOEMP, 2001) and Elwha Rivers (Shaffer et al., 2007). In British Columbia, the Frasier River eulachon spawning stock biomass has collapsed and is at a precariously low level (DFO, 2007).
The listing of this species will hopefully ensure that more work is done to understand the natural history of this species in the Salish Sea so that we can ultimately restore the population.
Find out more about the listing of the eulachon at:
http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/Other-Marine-Species/Eulachon.cfm
SeaDoc is the only organization that tracks threatened or endangered species in the Salish Sea on an ecosystem-wide scale. Since 2002, we have been tracking "species of concern" as listed by Washington, British Columbia, the US Federal Government and the Canadian Federal Government.
Eulachon are listed as threatened (BLUE list) by BC, are candidates for listing in WA state, are Candidates under the Canadian COSEWIC with a status report expected this year, and were Candidates for listing under the US Federal ESA until now.
Download our PDF listing the species of concern and describing the listing processes (we publish this report every 2 years):
Gaydos and Brown, 2009
http://www.seadocsociety.org/files/pdfs/GB-PS_Species_of_Concern_2008%20...