In first for fish, Oregon chub removed from endangered list

In a first for all fish, the National Wildlife Service removed the Oregon chub from the federal list of endangered and threatened animals.

The small minnow native to the Willamette River Valley of western Oregon was first listed as an endangered species in 1993 and reclassified as threatened in 2010. Populations declined due to the construction of flood control projects.

{mosads}Threats to the fish with an olive-colored back, silver sides and a white belly have since lessened, thanks to local outreach efforts. On Tuesday, the Oregon chub became the first fish to ever recover after being listed under the Endangered Species Act. 

“This milestone demonstrates how the Endangered Species Act can bring people together to accomplish a shared goal,” Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said in a news release.

“This effort succeeded because of an extraordinary partnership between federal and state agencies, landowners and other stakeholders who brought this species and ecosystem back from the brink of extinction in just over 20 years. We’re now managing the river in a smarter way, which means better opportunities for recreation, a boost for salmon recovery and improved water quality — all of which are good news for Oregon and its economy.”