SEATTLE -- Federal fisheries managers are proposing to designate
critical habitat for two threatened species of fish. NOAA
Fisheries said Monday it wants to designate about 2,288 miles of
freshwater and estuarine habitat in Washington and Oregon for
lower Columbia River coho salmon. The agency is also proposing
about 1,880 miles of critical habitat in Puget Sound for Puget
Sound steelhead. Lower Columbia River coho was listed as
threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act in 2005,
while Puget Sound steelhead was listed in 2007. Once critical
habitat is designated, federal agencies must make sure their
actions are not likely to destroy or adversely modify critical
habitat. NOAA is accepting public comments on the proposal until
April 15.