NOAA Fisheries, in partnership with Idaho’s Office of Species Conservation, is beginning to draft our state’s portion of the recovery plans for four listed salmonid species: Snake River sockeye salmon (endangered), Snake River fall Chinook (threatened), Snake River spring/summer Chinook (threatened) and Snake River steelhead (threatened).  This is a complex undertaking, based upon such existing studies as subbasin plans, work by our Interior Columbia Technical Recovery Team (ICTRT), and others.  

Through this website, we want to share preliminary drafts in order to keep stakeholders informed of progress on the plan and to obtain comments that may help shape the plan and make it as accurate and useful as possible.

• Methods, including population identification,
• Assessments of current status of the species,
• Recovery goals,
• Limiting factors, threats, and risks,
• Priority actions that should be taken to recover the populations in which you may be interested, and,
• Our preliminary recovery strategies developed from the Subbasin plans, even though they will be modified when the limiting factors assessment is completed.

The early drafts being posted relate primarily to habitat for salmon and steelhead within Idaho. Sections of the plan dealing with the migratory corridor (including the hydropower system), ocean conditions, the estuary, hatcheries, and harvest are still in process.

As further sections of the plan are completed, they will be placed on this website, so check in frequently to see what’s new.   Please send your comments to SnakeRiver.NWR@noaa.gov. 

Thank you for helping us refine a plan that meets the needs of both salmon and steelhead and of our state’s citizens.