Southern California Steelhead
The Southern California steelhead is an endangered species. NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region, along with the Science Centers, work to protect and conserve this species under the Endangered Species Act.
Species Status
ESA Listing Status: Endangered on August 18, 1997 (62 FR 43937) and January 5, 2006 (71 FR 833); range extension on May 1, 2002 (67 FR 21586); updated April 14, 2014 (79 FR 20802)
DPS Description: This distinct population segment, or DPS, includes naturally spawned anadromous steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) originating below natural and manmade impassable barriers from the Santa Maria River to the U.S.-Mexico Border.
Current Population Trends: Southern California Steelhead Status Reviews and Five-Year Updates
Critical Habitat: Designated September 2, 2005
Protective Regulations: Issued under ESA Section 9
Recovery Plan: Southern California Steelhead Recovery Plan (2012)
Species Recovery
NOAA Fisheries delineated eight recovery domains, or geographic recovery planning areas, for the ESA-listed salmon and steelhead populations on the West Coast. The South-Central/Southern California Coast Domain extends from the Pajaro River to the Tijuana River at the U.S.-Mexican border (see map of recovery domains). This sub-domain is home to two ESA-listed steelhead species:
- South-Central California Coast steelhead
- Southern California steelhead
NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region manages recovery planning and implementation for this domain through its California Coastal Area Office.
Recovery Plan
Working with its partners, NOAA Fisheries adopted a Recovery Plan for Southern California Steelhead in 2012. The plan is based on the biological needs of the fish and provides the foundation for restoring populations to healthy levels. The document is available below.
Partnerships for Recovery
Partners A - C
- Audubon California
- Army Corps of Engineers
- Association of California Water Agencies
- Anadromous Fish Restoration Program
- Bureau of Indian Affairs
- Bureau of Reclamation
- California Coastal Commission
- Cachuma Conservation Release Board
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife
- California Department of Forestry
- California Department of Transportation
- California Department of Parks and Recreation
- California Division of Mines and Geology
- California Endangered Species Act
- Comprehensive Monitoring Assessment and Research Program
- Casitas Municipal Water District
- Cachuma Operations and Maintenance Board
- California State Coastal Conservancy
- California Trout
Partners D - R
- Department of Water Resources EII Earth Island Institute
- Fallbrook Land Conservancy
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- Fallbrook Land Conservancy
- Friends of the Los Angeles River
- Friends of the River
- Friends of the Santa Clara River
- Friends of the Santa Margarita River
- Friends of the Ventura River
- Fisheries Restoration Grant Program
- Greater San Diego County Resource Conservation District
- Keep Sespe Wild
- Los Angeles County
- Los Padres Forest Watch MC Matilija Coalition
- Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
- Mission Resource Conservation District
- Otay River Conservation Program (WildCoast)
- The Nature Conservancy
- National Marine Fisheries Service
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- National Park Service, Pacific Western Regional Office
- National Resources Conservation Service
- Orange County
- Ojai Valley Land Conservancy
- Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund
- Riverside County
- Regional Water Quality Control Board
Partners S - Z
- Santa Ana River Watershed Alliance
- Santa Barbara County
- San Bernardino County
- South Coast Habitat Restoration
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project
- San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge
- San Diego County
- San Diego River Park Foundation
- San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy
- San Diego Surfrider Foundation
- San Diego Trout
- San Diego Water Authority
- San Gabriel Mountains Regional Conservancy
- San Luis Rey Watershed Council
- Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission
- San Mateo Creek Conservancy
- Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
- Santa Monica Mountains Resource Conservation District
- Sweetwater Authority
- Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge
- State Water Project
- State Water Resources Control Board
- Temecula
- Tri‐County Fish Team
- Tijuana River Action Network
- Tijuana River National Estuarine Reserve
- Trout Unlimited
- The Wildlands Conservancy
- United States Forest Service
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- United States Geological Survey
- Upper San Luis Rey Resource Conservation District
- United Water Conservation District
- Ventura County
- United States Air Force
- United States Department of Transportation
- United States Marine Corps
More Information
- Steelhead Status Reviews and Five-Year Updates
- Steelhead Federal Register Notices
- Salmon and Steelhead Federal Register Rules and Notices prior to August 2019
- Steelhead Maps & GIS Data
- Salmon Publications
- Steelhead Publications
- Salmon and Steelhead Hatcheries on the West Coast
- Learn about what you can do to help endangered and threatened salmon and steelhead recover
- Recent Stories
- Video: Southern California Steelhead: Against All Odds
Contact
If you have questions, would like to learn more about recovery efforts in your watershed, or would like to get involved directly, please contact:
West Coast Region - California Coastal Area Office
Mark Capelli
Email: Mark.Capelli@noaa.gov
Phone: 805.693.6478 ext. 14