A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to complete within nine months a delayed assessment of whether the San Francisco Estuary local population of white sturgeon should be listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisa Cisneros in San Francisco wasn’t persuaded by the agency’s arguments that it would need until 2029 to complete the so-called 12-month finding because of a backlog of pending petitions and staffing shortages from layoffs and a hiring freeze.

Other fish conservation news:

• KION/FOX35 (Salinas, Calif.): Santa Cruz County hatchery receives funds from local cannabis tax ahead of salmon season