Federal regulators have determined that Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon will not be listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), concluding a status review initiated by a 2024 petition.
According to NOAA Fisheries, the agency’s 12-month review found that listing the species is “not warranted” at this time, based on the best available scientific and commercial information.
The decision stems from a petition submitted in Jan. 2024 requesting ESA protections for Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon. NOAA previously issues a positive 90-day finding, determining that the petition presented substantial information indicating that listing “may be warranted,” prompting a full scientific review.
As part of the process, NOAA convened a scientific review team to conduct a detailed status review of Chinook salmon across the Gulf of Alaska. The team identified three evolutionary significant units (ESUs), grouping populations based on genetic characteristic, geographic separation, and environmental differences.
Each ESU was then evaluated using four key viability criteria commonly applied in ESA determinations: abundance, productivity, spatial structure, and diversity. NOAA’s analysis examined long-term population trends, habitat conditions and potential threats across the region, including environmental variability and other stressors affecting salmon survival.
Based on that assessment, NOAA concluded that all three ESUs are currently at a “low risk of extinction” and do not meet the threshold for listing under the ESA, either as threatened or endangered.
Thew review also incorporated input from state and regional partners, including the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, as well as Tribal representatives and Alaska Native organizations. NOAA said that information gathered through those consultations helped inform the final status review.
While the agency determined listing is not warranted, the findings come amid continued concern over Chinook salmon returns in parts of Alaska. The original petition cited declines in some runs as a key driver for seeking federal protections. The “not warranted” finding marks the final step int eh ESA review process for this petition.
