Group sues federal government over failure to protect sunflower sea star
An environmental group is suing the federal government over a delay in protecting a sea star species devastated in the Salish Sea by disease.
The sunflower sea star is a once-abundant species of sea star that lives along the West Coast. It is a key predator of sea urchins.
In about 2013, a disease now known as sea star wasting disease began to ravage the species, diminishing it by 90% by 2017.
In the Salish Sea, the species declined by about 92%.
The University of Washington's Friday Harbor Laboratories on San Juan Island has been working to raise sunflower sea stars to support the species' restoration.
The Center for Biological Diversity announced Monday that it is suing the National Marine Fisheries Services and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick over a delay in listing the sunflower sea star as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
"It's been painful to watch disease spread among the species as the ocean warms," Center for Biological Diversity Ocean Program Director Miyoko Sakashita said in a news release. "We need to jump in and do everything we can to save these gorgeous sea stars. The Trump administration has a clear legal duty to take action on these amazing animals."
The center previously petitioned to list the species as threatened in 2021.
In 2023, the National Marine Fisheries Service announced it was proposing to list the species as threatened throughout its habitat range.
The service typically makes a final ruling on the listing within a year of a proposal. It has not yet made a decision on the species' listing.
The center wrote in its news release that listing the species as threatened would help reduce threats from water pollution, dredging, shoreline armoring and other coastal development projects, as well as create a recovery plan for the species.
The newest listings of any species under the Endangered Species Act occurred in 2024 when the Atlantic humpback dolphin and queen conch were listed.
The center filed its lawsuit in the Northern District of California.
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.