USFWS proposes taking rare fish off endangered list

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – A tiny fish found only in waters in remote southern Oregon has been recommended to be removed from the federal endangered species List.

The Capital Press reports the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday proposed for the Foskett speckled dace to be delisted after more than a decade of work to restore the species’ habitat.

The rare fish is a member of the minnow family and grows to about 2-4 inches (5-10 centimeters) long. The fish spawn in the spring and only live a few years.

Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Chris Allen says the population of the fish tends to fluctuate from year to year. The population ranged from nearly 2,000 to nearly 25,000 between 2011 and 2014.

The species was listed as threatened in 1985.

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Information from: Capital Press, http://www.capitalpress.com/washington