Background
California's diverse aquatic habitats are home to over 130 native fish taxa across six major zoogeographic regions and over 20 distinct watersheds, including the Klamath River, Sacramento-San Joaquin, North Coast, Great Basin, South Coast, and Colorado River regions.
Freshwater Fish Richness from Atlas of the Biodiversity of California, Second Edition (PDF) CDFW. (Click to enlarge)
Most native fish occur in regions with higher water availability such as the perennial rivers, freshwater lakes, and artificial impoundments of the North Coast and Central Valley. Native fish are also found in extreme habitats such as the intermittent streams, desert springs, and alkaline lakes of the Great Basin region. The goal of our program is to prevent CESA-listing and extinction of California native fishes and promote their recovery.
What We Do
The core function of the Native Fishes Conservation and Management Program is the management and recovery of over 130 native California fishes, for their intrinsic value, cultural importance, and ecological integrity. At least 100 native fishes in California are either in decline, headed towards extinction, or are already extinct, representing 81% of California’s highly distinctive inland fish fauna. Program priorities include completing comprehensive five-year species reviews and annual reports for all CESA-listed fish species; developing recovery plans and conservation strategies to support alternatives to species listing; identifying and overseeing funding options for native fish species management and recovery activities; and encouraging public participation in research, conservation, recovery, and enjoyment of native fish species.
Threatened and Endangered Fishes
Shortnose Sucker, USFWS photo, Jason Ching
We coordinate and participate in CDFW’s evaluation of petitions submitted to the California Fish and Game Commission for listing of fish under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA), and produce Five-Year Species Reviews for CESA-listed fishes. We also facilitate the preparation of listing and delisting proposals. We coordinate recovery and management actions within the Department, and with external partners, to benefit native fish species and support the habitat on which they depend. This involves facilitating grant funding, promoting research and coordinating at a statewide level to prioritize the allocation of resources to the species of greatest conservation need prior to meeting criteria for listing as threatened or endangered.
To receive updates about CESA-listed species, please sign up on the California Fish and Game Commission mailing list(opens in new tab).
Fish Species of Special Concern
We use the best available science and expertise to produce and update the Species of Special Concern report for California’s imperiled native fishes. The Third Edition was completed in 2015 in partnership with Dr. Peter Moyle and his team at the University of California, Davis, and includes species accounts for 62 taxa.
A Species of Special Concern (SSC) is a species, subspecies, or distinct population of an animal native to California that 1) is extirpated from the State or, in the case of birds, is extirpated in its primary season or breeding role; 2) is listed as Federally-, but not State-, threatened or endangered; meets the State definition of threatened or endangered but has not formally been listed; 3) is experiencing, or formerly experienced, serious, noncyclical population declines or long-term range retractions that, if continued or resumed, could qualify it for State threatened or endangered status; and/or 4) has naturally small populations exhibiting high susceptibility to risk from any factors, that if realized, could lead to declines that would qualify it for State threatened or endangered status.
The Fish Species of Special Concern include fish that are known to spawn in California's inland waters. The document contains a review of species not already listed under either federal or state endangered species acts. Species accounts were prepared for the 62 taxa determined to be of special concern to address the following: overall status, description, taxonomic relationships, life history, habitat requirements, distribution, trends in abundance, nature and degree of threats, effects of climate change, status determination (scoring) and management recommendations.
Scientific Research and Collection Permitting
Prior to starting a project associated with handling native fishes or altering their habitat, please review the Fisheries Research permits. Scientific Collecting Permits (SCP), Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), and federal authorizations (ESA 4(d) and 10(a)(1)(A)) may be required to carry out scientific, education, propagation, and management activities in which "take" is expected to occur. "Take" means hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill (Fish and Game Code § 86). For more information, see the CDFW Fisheries Branch Research Permitting page.
Grant Programs and Available Funds
We assist with the solicitation, review, and selection for the federal State Wildlife Grant and Endangered Species Conservation and Recovery Grants. Additionally, we assist with the coordination and implementation of the State Wildlife Grant.
CDFW grant resources can be found on the Grant Opportunities page.
Rescue, Captive Propagation, and Translocation Planning
In 2017, CDFW developed captive propagation and conservation translocation policies. We review native fish translocation, captive propagation, and rescue plans to ensure consistency with CDFW’s policies and implementation of best practices.
CDFW Drought related projects and rescues can be found on the Drought Related Actions page.