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US House votes to remove endangered status for San Francisco-area smelt

May 3, 2025 CAA Staff

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to strip the San Francisco Bay longfin smelt of its endangered species status, escalating a political battle over California’s water management. Republicans, led by Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), argue the fish’s protections have hindered agricultural water access and contributed to state wildfires by diverting water away from inland needs. Conservationists counter that longfin smelt populations—down 99% since the 1980s—rely on freshwater flows that are increasingly diverted for agriculture. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently proposed over 91,000 acres as critical habitat, citing climate change and water diversion as key threats. The move to delist the fish is seen as part of a broader push to reshape environmental regulations linked to California’s water crisis.

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