Federal Lists

United States

Freshwater Fishes

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has regulatory authority of all inland freshwater fishes in the U.S. This page contains links to all species listed as Endangered or Threatened by the Endangered Species Act (ESA). It also contains a link to candidate species (species that warrant ESA listing but are precluded by higher priority listing activities) and species that are proposed for ESA protection but whose listing packages are being reviewed by independent scientists and the general public.

Marine and Anadromous Fishes

NOAA Fisheries (also known as the National Marine Fisheries Service, or NMFS) has regulatory authority over marine fishes and anadromous fishes (such as Pacific salmon). This page has links to marine and anadromous fishes that are listed or proposed as Threatened and Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), and those that are candidates (i.e., species of concern) for ESA listing.

Natural Heritage Conservation Rankings

NatureServe compiles and collates data from natural heritage and conservation data centers from throughout the U.S. and Canada to provide an indispensable database of the conservation status of U.S. and Canadian plants and animals, including most species of freshwater fish.

Canada

Canada Species At Risk Registry

The Species At Risk Act (SARA) is Canada's version of the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Schedule 1 listings are the officially listed species for which protection and recovery measures are developed and implemented. Species that were designated at risk by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) before the creation of the Species at Risk Act in 2003 must be reassessed according to the new criteria of the Act before they can be added to Schedule 1. These species are listed on Schedule 2 (Endangered and Threatened) and Schedule 3 (Special Concern), and are not yet officially protected under SARA. Once the species on Schedules 2 and 3 have been reassessed, the Schedules themselves will be eliminated and species will simply be listed or not listed under the Act.

Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada

COSEWIC is an independent body of experts responsible for identifying and assessing species considered to be at risk in Canada. This is the first step towards protecting species at risk under the Species At Risk Act (SARA). COSEWIC reports its findings to the Canadian government, which then determines whether at-risk species qualify for legal protection and recovery under SARA.

Mexico

Mexico recognizes four categories of risk: P = en peligro de extinción> (endangered). A = amenazada (threatened). Pr = sujetas a protección especial (subject to special protection). E = probablemente extintas en el medio silvestre (probably extinct in the wild). The official list of Mexico's special status fishes is from NORMA Oficial Mexicana NOM-059-ECOL-2001 (fishes are on pp. 69-77). "Norma Oficial" is the official body of regulations in the Mexican government. The "Normas" have assigned numbers and are roughly equivalent to Federal Register notices in the U.S. The "Federal Register" of Mexico is called the "Diario Oficial."

State Lists

These links frequently change. If you find a broken link, please notify .

Alabama
Alabama does not have an endangered species law. However, the possession of several fish species is prohibited, as listed in this PDF from the Alabama Administrative Code (scroll down to section 220-2-.92 on pp. 195-196, and section 220-2-.94 on pp. 199-200). In addition, the Alabama Natural Heritage Program maintains a PDF list of rare, threatened and endangered species, including fishes.

Alaska
Alaska does not list any fishes on its Endangered Species list. One species, a population of chinook salmon, is listed on its Special Concern list.

Arizona
Arizona does not have an endangered species law, but the Arizona Game and Fish Department does maintain a PDF list of Special Status Species.

Arkansas
Arkansas does not have an endangered species act, but does maintain a list of Species of Special Concern, including fishes.

California
California has an endangered species law that requires recovery plans and designation of critical habitat for listed animals and plants, although critical habitat has never been designated. In addition, the California Department of Fish and Game maintains a list of Fish Species of Special Concern.

Colorado
Colorado has an endangered species law that covers several endangered, threatened and special concern fishes.

Connecticut
Connecticut has an endangered species law that covers just a few fish species.

Delaware
Delaware has a limited endangered species act, providing for the listing of species and restricting their trafficking. The Atlantic sturgeon is the only fish listed.

Florida
Florida has an endangered species acts for animals. Endangered, threatened and special concern fishes are listed in this PDF document.

Georgia
Georgia has a law covering endangered animal species, including these protected fishes.

Idaho
Idaho does not have an endangered species act for animals, but does legally recognize endangered, threatened and specially protected species in the state per Idaho Administrative Code 13.01.06. In addition, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game maintains a list of Species of Special Concern.

Illinois
Illinois has an endangered species law that covers plants and animals. Here is a PDF of Illinois' Endangered and Threatened Species List. A by-county list is available here.

Indiana
Indiana has an endangered species act that covers animals (excluding insects) but not plants. Endangered and special concern fishes are included on this PDF list.

Iowa
Iowa has an endangered species law that protects animals and plants, but does not require recovery actions, agency consultation or critical habitat designation, although land acquisition is authorized. This PDF from Iowa's Natural Resources Commission lists endangered and threatened species in the state.

Kansas
Kansas has an endangered species law that covers animals but not plants. Threatened and endangered species are listed on this PDF. Special concern species are listed on this one. This PDF article from the Kansas Department and Wildlife and Parks summarizes the state's endangered and threatened species.

Kentucky
Kentucky has separate statutes governing endangered animals and plants, although no state list has been adopted. Only federally protected species are listed by the State at this time. In lieu of a State list, the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission maintains a PDF list of all rare and extinct or extirpated biota in Kentucky.

Louisiana
Louisiana has an endangered species law but does not maintain a state list except for federally listed species. The Louisiana Natural Heritage Program maintains a list of Rare Animals of Conservation Concern.

Maine
Maine has an endangered species act; Redfin Pickerel and Swamp Darter are the only state-listed fishes.

Maryland
Maryland has a law that protects endangered animals, and maintains a PDF list of endangered, threatened and special concern species.

Massachusetts
Massachusetts has an endangered species act. The state legislature has officially declared the second Saturday in September as Endangered Species Day. Endangered, threatened and special concern species are listed here.

Michigan
Michigan's endangered species act protects all species of plants and animals except insects whose protection would present an overwhelming and overriding risk to man. This list of endangered, threatened and extirpated species is from Michigan's Administrative Code.

Minnesota
Minnesota has an endangered species act. Threatened and special concern fishes are listed at this Minnesota DNR Web page.

Mississippi
Seventy-six animals have been designated as state endangered through the Mississippi State Law, the Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act of 1974. Here's a list of State-endangered species.

Missouri
Missouri has authority to protect state and federal listed species through state statute. The Missouri Department of Conservation produced this PDF checklist of Conservation Concern species and communities. Fishes are on pp. 37-38.

Montana
Montana has an endangered species act that covers animals but not plants. Three fishes are on the State endangered and threatened list. More species are listed as Species of Concern.

Nebraska
Nebraska has an endangered species act, entitled the Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act that covers all plant and animal species. Seven fish species are listed.

Nevada
Nevada has an endangered species law that covers plants and animals. The Nevada Department of Wildlife recognizes protected, threatened, sensitive and endangered fishes.

New Hampshire
New Hampshire has an Endangered Species Conservation Act that protects all nondomesticated species of wildlife indigenous to the state. Three fish species are listed.

New Jersey
New Jersey has an endangered species law, the Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act that protects species and subspecies of indigenous wildlife. The shortnose sturgeon is the only listed fish.

New Mexico
New Mexico's Wildlife Conservation Act covers all animal species and distinct populations, except for insects whose protection would present an overwhelming and overriding risk to humans. State endangered and threatened species are listed here.

New York
New York has an endangered species law that protects wild animals. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation maintains this list of endangered, threatened and special concern fish and wildlife species.

North Carolina
North Carolina has an endangered species law that covers all vertebrates and selected invertebrates. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission maintains this PDF list of state-listed species.

North Dakota
North Dakota does not have an endangered species act. However, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department has identified 100 nongame species, including 22 fishes, as Species of Conservation Priority.

Ohio
Ohio has endangered species laws to protect animals and plants. Links to lists of Ohio's special status wildlife are available here.

Oklahoma
Oklahoma does not have an endangered species act, although the state has several provisions in which threatened and endangered wildlife can be listed based on scientific criteria. Here is a list of Oklahoma's endangered, threatened and special concern species.

Oregon
Oregon has endangered species provisions that protect native vertebrates and plants on state lands only. Endangered, threatened and candidate fish and wildlife are listed here. Special concern, or sensitive, fishes are listed on this PDF document.

Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has separate laws protecting endangered species of animals, plants and fish. This list of endangered, threatened and candidate species is from the Pennsylvania Code.

Rhode Island
Rhode Island has an endangered species act that protects animals and plants.

South Carolina
South Carolina has an endangered species law that covers animals, but not plants. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources maintains this list (dated Jan. 2006) of special concern, threatened and endangered species.

South Dakota
South Dakota has an endangered species law that covers animals and plants. The law does not require recovery plans, critical habitat designation or agency consultation. The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks lists these endangered and threatened species.

Tennessee
Tennessee has an endangered species law that covers animal species and subspecies. The law does not require recovery plans, critical habitat designation or agency consultation, although management programs are required. The Tennessee Department of Education and Conservation produced this PDF list of rare animals in the state.

Texas
Texas has separate laws to protect plants and animals. The law does not require recovery plans, critical habitat designation or agency consultation. Listed fishes, with links to more information, are given here.

Utah
Utah does not have an endangered species law. Instead, it simply abides by the federal act. However, the Utah Comprehensive Wildlife Strategy prioritizes Utah's native animal species in three tiers according to conservation need. A PDF file of the Strategy is available.

Vermont
Vermont has an endangered species law that protects animals and plants. The law does not require recovery plans, although the state is working on plans for some state-listed species. Several fish species are protected by this law.

Virginia
Virginia has an endangered species act. Recovery plans are not required, although they are prepared for some species. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries maintains a PDF list of special status species.

Washington
Washington has an endangered species law that covers animals, but not plants. Recovery plans are required, although critical habitat designation and agency consultation are not. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife maintains this list of endangered, threatened, special concern and sensitive species.

West Virginia
West Virginia does not have an endangered species law. The state's endangered and threatened species are simply those on the federal list. However, the West Virginia Wildlife Diversity Program uses methods similar to those of natural heritage programs to track rare species in the state.

Wisconsin
Wisconsin has an endangered species law that protects animals and plants. The law does not require recovery plans, although the Department of Natural Resources sometimes prepares them. This natural heritage inventory of Wisconsin fishes includes a column that indicates listing status.

Wyoming
Wyoming does not have an endangered species act for plants or animals. Instead, the state simply abides by the federal act. Status information about fishes, including which ones are deemed of special concern, can be found within these PDFs from Wisconsin's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy.

Provincial Lists

Alberta
Alberta has an endangered species act -- the Wildlife Act -- but no fishes are legally protected at this time. However, efforts are under way to amend the legislation to include fishes. What's more, species assessed as "Endangered" or "Threatened" are still the recipient of government efforts to recover the species. Here's a list of all listed fishes in the province.

British Columbia
British Columbia does not have an endangered species act, but does but does rank species based on conservation priority. You can look up the Conservation Data Centre status ranking of any BC animal using this Web tool.

Manitoba
Manitoba has an endangered species act, but no fishes are listed as endangered or threatened.

New Brunswick
New Brunswick has an endangered species act, but no fishes are listed as endangered or threatened.

Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador have an endangered species act; the American Eel and Banded Killifish are the only fishes listed.

Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories' Species at Risk Act came into force Feb. 1, 2010. No fishes are protected.

Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia has an endangered species act. The Atlantic whitefish is the only fish listed.

Nunavut
Nunavut does not maintain a list of special status fishes except for those already listed by the Species at Risk Act.

Ontario
Ontario has an endangered species act. The Royal Ontario Museum, in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, maintains thus list of Fish at Risk in Ontario.

Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island does not maintain a list of special status fishes except for those already listed by the Species at Risk Act.

Québec
Québec's Ministère des Ressources Naturelles et de la Fauna recognizes three listing categories: espéces menacèes (comparable to endangered), espéces vulnèrables (comparable to threatened), and espéces susceptibles d'être désignées menacées ou vulnérables (comparable to special concern).

Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan lists special status species, but no freshwater fishes are included.

Yukon
The Yukon does not have an endangered species act, but does prohibit the take of several protected species. However, no fishes receive protection.