Species Profile
Environmental Conservation Online System

steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Salmoniformes
Family: Salmonidae

Listing Status:  (and others listed below)

General Information

Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) belong to the family Salmonidae which includes all salmon, trout, and chars. Steelhead are similar to some Pacific salmon in their life cycle and ecological requirements. They are born in fresh water streams, where they spend their first 1-3 years of life. They then emigrate to the ocean where most of their growth occurs. After spending between one to four growing seasons in the ocean, steelhead return to their native fresh water stream to spawn. Unlike Pacific salmon, steelhead do not necessarily die after spawning and are able to spawn more than once.

Population detail

The FWS is currently monitoring the following populations of the steelhead 

  • Population location: All naturally spawned populations (and their progeny) in rivers from the Santa Maria R., San Luis Obispo County, CA (inclusive) to Malibu Cr., Los Angeles County, CA (inclusive)
    Listing status:  Endangered
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  California
  • Population location: All naturally spawned populations (and their progeny) in the Upper Columbia R. Basin upstream from the Yakima R., WA, to the U.S./Canada border, and also including the Wells Hatchery stock
    Listing status:  Threatened
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  Washington
  • Population location: U.S.A. (OR) All naturally spawned winter-run populations in the Willamette R. and its tributaries from Willamette Falls to the Calapooia R., inclusive
    Listing status:  Threatened
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  Oregon , Washington
  • Population location: U.S.A. (OR, WA) All naturally spawned populations in streams above and excluding the Wind R. in Washington, and the Hood R. in Oregon, upstream to, and including, the Yakima R. Excluded are steelhead from the Snake R. Basin
    Listing status:  Threatened
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  Oregon
  • Population location: All naturally spawned populations and their progeny in river basins from Redwood Creek in Humboldt County, CA to the Gualala River in Mendocino County, CA (inclusive)
    Listing status:  Threatened
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  California
  • Population location: All naturally spawned populations (and their progeny) in streams from the Pajaro R. (inclusive) located in Santa Cruz County, CA, to (but not including) the Santa Maria R
    Listing status:  Threatened
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  California
  • Population location: All naturally spawned populations (and their progeny) in streams in the Snake R. Basin of southeast WA, northeast OR, and ID
    Listing status:  Threatened
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  Idaho , Oregon , Washington
  • Population location: All naturally spawned populations (and their progeny) in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers and their tributaries, excluding San Francisco and San Pablo Bays and their tributaries
    Listing status:  Threatened
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  California
    • USFWS Refuges in which this population is known to occur:  BUTTE SINK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE , SACRAMENTO RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE , SUTTER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
  • Population location: All naturally spawned populations (and their progeny) in streams from the Russian R. to Aptos Cr., Santa Cruz County, CA (inclusive), and the drainages of San Francisco and San Pablo Bays eastward to the Napa R. (inclusive), Napa County, CA, excluding the Sacramento-San Joaquin R. Basin of the Central Valley of CA
    Listing status:  Threatened
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  California
  • Population location: All naturally spawned populations (and their progeny) in streams and tributaries to the Columbia R. between the Cowlitz and Wind Rivers, WA, inclusive, and the Willamette and Hood Rivers, OR, inclusive, excluding the Upper Willamette River Basin above Willamette Falls and excluding the Little and Big White Salmon Rivers in WA
    Listing status:  Threatened
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  Oregon , Washington
  • Population location: Klamath Mountains Province steelhead(Oncorhynchus mykiss).Includes all Naturally spawned populations of Steelhead (and their progeny) in coastal river basins ranging from the Elk River in Curry County, Oregon, to the Klamath River, inclusive, in Del Norte County, California
    Listing status:  Under Review
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  California , Oregon
Current Listing Status Summary
Status Date Listed Lead Region Where Listed
06/17/1998 National Marine Fisheries Service (Region 11) southern CA coast
06/17/1998 National Marine Fisheries Service (Region 11) upper Columbia R. Basin
08/02/1999 National Marine Fisheries Service (Region 11) upper Willamette R.
08/02/1999 National Marine Fisheries Service (Region 11) middle Columbia R.
09/07/2000 National Marine Fisheries Service (Region 11) northern CA
06/17/1998 National Marine Fisheries Service (Region 11) south central CA coast
06/17/1998 National Marine Fisheries Service (Region 11) Snake R. Basin
06/17/1998 National Marine Fisheries Service (Region 11) Central Valley CA
06/17/1998 National Marine Fisheries Service (Region 11) central CA coast
06/17/1998 National Marine Fisheries Service (Region 11) lower Columbia R.
National Marine Fisheries Service (Region 11) Klamath Mountains Province

» Federal Register Documents

Most Recent Federal Register Documents (Showing 5 of 28 : view all)
Date Citation Page Title
03/05/2008 73 FR 11870 11871 Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment/Habitat Conservation Plan, and Receipt of Applications for Incidental Take Permits from the Broughton Land Company, Columbia County, Washington
01/05/2006 71 FR 833 862 Endangered and Threatened Species: Final Listing Determinations for 10 Distinct Population Segments of West Coast Steelhead; Final Rule
11/15/2005 70 FR 69348 69350 Notice of Intent to Conduct Public Scoping Meetings and to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement Related to the Bi-State Water Diversion Habitat Conservation Plan for the Walla Walla River Basin
09/02/2005 70 FR 52487 52627 Designation of Critical Habitat for Seven Evolutionarily Significant Units of Pacific Salmon and Steelhead in California
07/25/2005 70 FR 42533 42535 Notice of Intent to Conduct Public Scoping Meetings and to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement Related to the Family Forest Habitat Conservation Plan
Most Recent Special Rule Publications (Showing 2 of 2 )
Date Citation Page Title
07/10/2000 65 FR 42421 42481 Endangered and Threatened Species; Final Rule Governing Take of 14 Threatened Salmon and Steelhead Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs)
12/30/1999 64 FR 73479 73506 Endangered and Threatened Species; Proposed Rule Governing Take of Threatened Snake River, Central California Coast, South/Central California Coast, Lower Columbia River, Central Valley California, Middle Columbia River, and Upper Willamette River Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) of West Coast Steelhead

» Recovery

Recovery Plan Information Search
Other Recovery Documents (Showing 4 of 4 )
Date Citation Page Title Document Type
05/07/2001 66 FR 23004 23005 NOAA/NMFS; Notice of availability and Request for Comment on the Fisheries Management and Evaluation Plan for the upper Willamette River Steelhead.
  • Notice Doc. Availability
  • Notice NMFS Notice
  • Notice Request for Comment
    • 05/04/2001 66 FR 22532 22533 NOAA/NMFS Notice of Availability and Request for Comment; Four fisheries Management and Evaluation Plans (FMEP)for the Middle Columbia River Steelhead
  • Notice Doc. Availability
  • Notice NMFS Notice
  • Notice Request for Comment
    • 05/04/2001 66 FR 22533 22534 NOAA/NMFS Notice of Availability and Request for Comment; Management and Evaluation Plans (FMEP)for the Snake River Steelhead
  • Notice Doc. Availability
  • Notice NMFS Notice
  • Notice Request for Comment
    • 05/04/2001 66 FR 22534 22535 NOAA/NMFS Notice of Availability and Request for Comment; Fisheries Management and Evaluation Plans (FMEP)for the Lower Columbia River Steelhead
  • Notice Doc. Availability
  • Notice NMFS Notice
  • Notice Request for Comment

    • » Critical Habitat

    Current Critical Habitat Documents (Showing 3 of 3 )
    Date Citation Page Title Document Type Status
    09/02/2005 70 FR 52487 52627 Designation of Critical Habitat for Seven Evolutionarily Significant Units of Pacific Salmon and Steelhead in California Final Rule Active
    02/16/2000 65 FR 7764 7787 (NOAA/NMFS) Designated Critical Habitat: Critical Habitat for 19 Evolutionarily Significant Units of Salmon and Steelhead in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California Final Rule Active
    02/05/1999 64 FR 5740 5754 Designated Critical Habitat: Proposed Critical Habitat for Nine Evolutionarily Significant Units of Steelhead in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California Proposed Rule Not Required

    To learn more about critical habitat please see http://criticalhabitat.fws.gov

    » Conservation Plans

    Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP) (learn more) (Showing 5 of 7 : view all)
    HCP Plan Summaries
    Broughton Land Company
    City of Tacoma, Tacoma Water HCP
    East Bay Municipal Utility District
    Simpson Timber NW Operations (Green Diamond Resource Company)
    Stimson Lumber Company

    » Petitions

    No petition findings have been published for the steelhead.

    » Life History

    No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.

    » Other Resources

    NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

    ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

    Last updated: November 21, 2009