You may download the complete report by clicking the links below: Final Margined Sculpin Status Report Sep/98 - PDF Format (219K) Draft Margined Sculpin Status Report Apr/98 - PDF Format (112K) The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife maintains lists of species that are endangered, threatened, or sensitive in the state. The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission has adopted listing procedures developed in 1990 by a group of citizens, interest groups, and state and federal agencies (WAC 232-12-297). The procedures describe the process for listing species, criteria for listing and delisting, public review, and recovery and management. The first step in listing or delisting species is writing a status report that reviews a species’ status and addresses factors affecting its continued existence. Factors include, but are not limited to, historic, current, and expected population trends; natural history, including ecological relationships; historic and current habitat trends; population demographics and their relationship to long-term sustainability; and past and present management activities. Each status report undergoes a 90-day public review, during which the Department holds public meetings to receive comments and new information. Following the review period, the Department completes a final status report and listing recommendation. These undergo an additional 30-day review prior to being presented to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. State Environmental Policy Act documents are issued concurrently with final status reports and undergo a 14-day public review. The Commission makes a decision to list or delist species solely on biological status of a species. This is a Final Status Report for the Margined Sculpin. Submit written comments on this report by October 1, 1998 to: Endangered Species Program Manager, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 600 Capitol Way N, Olympia WA 98501-1091 or e-mail your comments to wildthing@dfw.wa.gov. The Department will present the results of this status review to the Fish and Wildlife Commission for action at its October 27, 1998 meeting.

Final Margined Sculpin Status Report: Executive Summary The margined sculpin (Cottus marginatus) is physically distinguishable from the piute sculpin (Cottus beldingi), the only other similar sculpin species within its range, by medial chin pores and anal fin rays. The margined sculpin has one chin pore and 14 to 17 anal rays while the piute sculpin has two chin pores and 11 to 14 anal rays. The former range of C. marginatus is unknown. Currently it is found in the Blue Mountains of Oregon and Washington. In Washington it is only found in parts of the Tucannon and Walla Walla drainages. Margined sculpin spawn in the spring. They likely spawn under rocks in pools at temperatures that range from 11.5o C to 16o C. Young-of-the-year margined sculpin appear in electrofishing surveys during the fall. Fish species diversity within the range of C. marginatus is low and it is not understood how they interact. It is known that different species of sculpins are preyed upon by fish, birds and mammals, while they prey upon fish eggs and other small fish including salmon. The margined sculpin is primarily a pool dweller in streams. Its preference for pools does not appear to be strongly affected by seasons. It is normally found in water temperatures less than 20o C and adults tend to be found in deeper, faster water than juveniles. The past and current population status of the margined sculpin is unknown. However, it is locally common. Even if present populations are healthy, its extremely restricted distribution poses concern for the future. Local disturbances may have profound effects on its persistence. Most of the waters inhabited by C. marginatus have degraded habitat. Problems are caused by development, logging, agriculture, grazing and channelization. These activities result in sedimentation of substrate, elevated water temperatures, algal blooms and reduction in pool habitat. Agricultural and yard chemicals not used properly can directly eliminate fish as well as cause indirect problems such as algal blooms. The future is somewhat hopeful. The chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and bull trout (salvelinus confluentus) that inhabit the Tucannon and Walla Walla drainages have been listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. This requires that many habitat protection measures be implemented that would also likely benefit margined sculpin. The margined sculpin is confined to an extremely small range worldwide and in Washington. Much of the habitat it dwells in is degraded with an uncertain future. Because of its small range and degraded habitat conditions it is vulnerable and likely to become threatened or endangered in a significant portion of its range without cooperative management. The Department therefore recommends that the margined sculpin be listed as a sensitive species in Washington. For more information on wildlife management issues, please contact WDFW Wildlife Management Program. Phone: 360-902-2515 E-mail: wildthing@dfw.wa.gov Files formatted in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) require the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print. You can download the free reader directly from Adobe. Windows versions are approximately 4MB in size.