Without ESA designation, species are not protected from habitat destruction, poaching and trafficking of their parts and products. The FWS charges that litigation over critical habitat designation launched by environmentalists has damaged its listing budget. The FWS faces court-ordered designations for almost 300 species after environmental groups sued for failing to timely designate critical habitat for about 90 percent of the 1,200 species listed under the Endangered Species Act. FWS spokesman Chris Tollefson noted that Any funding we may have available will be allocated for emergency listings only. We will make sure we take care of any species in immediate danger.
Conservation groups counter that the financial problem stems from low congressional funding.
On November 13, the FWS and Department of Interior listed the wild populations of Atlantic salmon found in Maine streams and rivers as endangered. The eight waterways affected are the Dennys, East Machias, Machias, Pleasant, Narraguagus, Ducktrap, and Sheepscot Rivers and Cove Brook, a tributary of the Penobscot. The ESA now requires the federal agencies to prepare recovery plans for the species. The listing becomes official even before the results of a National Academy of Science study which is expected to be completed in early 2001. The decision to list has opposition in Maine s aquaculture and agriculture industries, as well as governmental leaders.