A federal judge in Montana Tuesday ordered the US Fish and Wildlife Service to reevaluate the protected status of Arctic Grayling in the Big Hole River.
The court’s ruling gives the Fish and Wildlife Service one year to conduct a new review over whether the Big Hole grayling population warrants a position on the Endangered Species List. But, the service is ordered not to consider landowner-led, voluntary conservation efforts.
The Fish and Wildlife Service initially recommended the grayling for protection in 1994, before reversing course in 2014. They claimed voluntary conservation efforts along the Big Hole were enough to stabilize the population.
For decades, landowners on the river have worked to restore fish habitat and improve flows. They fear an ESA listing would increase regulatory burdens in the region.
Arctic grayling are native to Montana’s Upper Missouri Watershed. But increased temperatures and lower water flows have contributed to habitat loss. Litigation early last year by a number of environmental groups argued voluntary conservation was not a sufficient regulatory protection.
A spokesperson for the Fish and Wildlife Service declined MTPR’s request to comment.
