10/20/2026
We are conserving and recovering threatened and endangered species across the State of Oregon! The once endangered Oregon chub became one of our greatest species recovery success stories when it was delisted in 2015. They are also the first fish in Oregon to become de-listed from the Endangered Species Act’s endangered species list.
The Oregon chub was recently featured in the Fish of the Week podcast: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/1f217d03-e5a0-4d04-bf56-9d2c41f334c7
Although little in size, this endemic to the Willamette Valley chub has made a big comeback since it was listed as endangered in 1993. Serving as an unsung hero, it is an important indicator of ecosystem health in Willamette Valley wetlands, and all of our efforts to recover them have helped a suite of other species sharing its habitat. These include spring Chinook salmon, western pond turtles, and a variety of salamanders, frogs, and insects.
Many determined folks contributed to saving this fish - Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Oregon Department of Transportation, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, McKenzie River Trust, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, City of Salem and the list goes on. Still, much credit for their comeback goes to the many private landowners supporting its conservation.
To date, Oregon chub are thriving. In fact, they continue to break new ground - we keep finding them expanding their range, showing up where they aren’t expected, and recolonizing historical habitats on their own. Pretty exciting for a two-inch fish!
Explore more Fish of the Week podcasts: https://www.fws.gov/fish-of-the-week-podcast
Photos: Photo 1 shows an Oregon chub in the McKenzie River. Photo 2 shows our Lead Biologist Brian Bangs doing field work, monitoring for Oregon chub. Photo credit: copyright Jeremy Monroe, Freshwaters Illustrated
