Center for Biological Diversity v. National Marine Fisheries Service

The court approved a settlement in which the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) agreed to schedules for reviewing the status of three evolutionary significant units (ESUs) of Chinook salmon and making 12-month findings as to whether their listing as threatened or endangered is not warranted, warranted, or warranted but precluded by other pending proposals. NMFS agreed to make a finding on the Oregon Coast and Southern Oregon and Northern California Coastal Chinook salmon by November 13, 2025, and the finding on the Washington Coast spring-run Chinook salmon by January 2, 2026.

Center for Biological Diversity and three other organizations filed a lawsuit in the federal district court for the District of Oregon alleging that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) failed to issue timely 12-month findings on an August 4, 2022 petition to list the Oregon Coast and Southern Oregon and Northern California Coastal Chinook salmon under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and a July 17, 2023 petition to list the Washington Coast spring-run Chinook salmon under the ESA. The complaint alleged that NMFS had made positive 90-day findings that the petitions presented substantial information that listing might be warranted, including due to changes in ocean conditions resulting from climate change.