U.S. Fish and Wildlife Proposes Critical Habitat for Longfin Smelt in Northern Calif.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Jan. 14 announced that it was designating 91,630 acres of critical habitat for the San Francisco Bay-Delta distinct population segment of the longfin smelt.
Longfin smelt are found along the Pacific Coast of the United States from Alaska to California. The fish are small and shiny, 3.5 to 4.3 inches long, with a lifespan of 2 to 3 years.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the population of Bay-Delta longfin smelt as endangered in July 2024 due to significant declines throughout the San Francisco Bay estuary in recent decades.
Bay-Delta longfin smelt are found in open water areas in both fresh and saltwater habitats from the estuary to the Farallon Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
“This proposed critical habitat spans key areas within the estu...