The new report lists distinct subpopulations of certain fish separately, even if they are classified as the same species, which accounts for part of the increase. "It's a much greater reflection of what diversity actually means," Taylor noted. "People say the species on this side of the continent are the same on the other side of the continent. They're not all the same. This list is more up to speed with our population-level understanding of diversity." There have been some successes. Eleven percent of the species on the 1989 list were upgraded in status or delisted, including the Bonneville trout of the northwestern United States. "They've done a great job bringing it back," Jelks said, by removing non-native species and improving the habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently provided $3 million, combined with nearly $8 million in partner contributions, to restore fish habitat in 31 states as part of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. "It's a start," said Jeff Underwood of the Fisheries and Habitat Conservation division of the FWS. "We work as efficiently as we can with the resources we have available." Related Links: Jessica Marshall's blog: EnvironMental Case |
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