New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced the adoption of regulations updating the list of endangered, threatened, and special concern species of fish, a recently discovered species of frog (Atlantic coast leopard frog), and species recently classified under the federal Endangered Species Act. The State’s endangered and threatened species list was last updated in 1999, and the changes reflect the best available information on the distribution of species and their conservation status.

“Protecting the most vulnerable fish and amphibian species is paramount to ensuring long-term biodiversity and preserving New York’s natural resources,” said Acting Commissioner Lefton. “Using the latest science and data helped DEC develop these critical revisions that show progress in the recovery of some fish and reptile species and recognize challenges to others, informing the work of DEC experts to develop the best restoration strategies moving forward.” 

The full list of changes to the endangered, threatened, or species of special concern status can be found on DEC’s website: List of Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Fish and Wildlife Species of New York State - NYSDEC. Improvement in the status of species like bluebreast darter and Eastern sand darter can be attributed to improvements in water quality and habitat protection. Improvements to the status of round whitefish is the result of active restoration by DEC in Adirondack waters. Other species such as burbot, lake whitefish, several species of minnows, and longnose sucker appear to be declining due to threats like climate change and invasive species.  

The regulations adopted today are the first in a series of rulemakings DEC is advancing to update the overall threatened and endangered species list. DEC anticipates addressing groups of related species in separate rulemakings over the next two years. Future revisions for amphibians and reptiles, invertebrates, birds, and mammals are planned in the coming months.  

The changes finalized today were first proposed in August 2024, and subject to a public comment period and public hearings. DEC received more than 1,300 individual comments to the proposal, and the response to the changes were overwhelmingly positive. Some comments suggested other species to be added to the list or cautioned against taking things off the list. DEC staff reviewed all comments and revisited the available data to come to a final decision for this list revision.

Additional species recommended for addition to the list during the public comment process will be evaluated in the coming months for inclusion in a future rulemaking.  

“The new list is a welcome tool for biodiversity conservation and sustainability in imperiled fishes,” said President of the New York Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Gelyanne Rivera. “The New York Chapter of the American Fisheries Society supports NYSDEC’s actions and looks forward to working with the agency and its partners in the advancement of fisheries and aquatic science in New York including imperiled fishes.”