Goose Lake Fishes Working Group
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About
The Goose Lake Working Fishes Group was established in 1991 to address the impact of the 1987–1994 drought on fish species in the Goose Lake basin, which spans California and Oregon. This group was formed after a proposal to list all native fish species in the area as "Threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. It includes representatives from various sectors, such as state and federal agencies, landowners, universities, and non-governmental organizations.
In 1995, the Goose Lake Fishes Conservation Strategy was completed to guide conservation efforts for the native fish in the basin. The strategy has set forth a framework that describes management actions to be done at the watershed and sub watershed level through cooperative efforts among public and private landowners, resources agencies, and resources users in order to achieve desired conditions. The strategy has guided numerous restoration actions over the past two decades and still provides the foundation for fish conservation efforts in the Goose Lake watershed. It also documents past efforts (1958-1994) and sets forth desired future conditions.
Over the past two decades, significant work has been done on private and public lands improve fish passage and habitat, including updates to fish monitoring studies and continued restoration efforts in the watershed.
January 2025, the Center for Biological Diversity filed petitions to list three species—the Goose Lake Sucker, Goose Lake Lamprey, and Goose Lake Tui Chub—as Threatened or Endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The petition process involves a 90-day preliminary review by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, followed by a 12-month status review if substantial information supports the listing.
July 2026, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a 90-day finding on petitions to list three species (Goose Lake lamprey, Goose Lake sucker and Goose Lake tui chub) under the Endangered Species Act. The 90-day finding, found that the petitions presented substantial and credible information indicating that listing the species as threatened or endangered may be warranted. A substantial 90-day finding is the first step in the petition process and does not imply the species will be listed, only that a full status review (12-month finding) should occur. The next step is to add the species to the agency’s national listing workplan for an in-depth status review of the species and threats.