Significant progress has been made toward the recovery of the threatened Apache Trout. Major threats were removed including hybridization, logging, and overharvest. Remaining threats are being managed and are manageable. Partners agree that it is time to evaluate if the Apache Trout still warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Apache Trout is a “conservation-reliant species,” meaning that it will need continued active population- and threat-management related to predation and competition from nonnative trout species. Therefore, a long-term CMP is essential to analyzing the species’ status relative to potential delisting. An Apache Trout SSA and CMP are both prerequisite documents needed for the USFWS to complete a 5-year status review including a classification recommendation (e.g., “No change is need” or “Delist [Recovery]”). The SSA and CMP can be completed simultaneously. SSA and CMP collaborating partners should include representatives from the White Mountain Apache Tribe (WMAT), US Forest Service (USFS), Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD), and USFWS Ecological Services and Fish and Aquatic Conservation programs.Producing an SSA and CMP requires dedicated staff hours that exceeds the current workload capacity of USFWS offices. This Cooperative Agreement will provide the needed resources necessary to lead this effort to completion, with active involvement by USFWS and other partners.
