A state judge has ruled that California cannot list four native bumblebee species under protections for endangered fish, according to the California Farm Bureau, a lead plaintiff in the lawsuit.
The legal action blocks a 2019 decision by the Fish and Game Commission charging the Department of Fish and Wildlife with pursuing a review process for the protections. The judge said the commission exceeded its authority in that decision.
"If the bumblebees were listed, it would have required several changes to how farming practices occur in California, from grazing to the use of pesticides and herbicides," said the Farm Bureau’s Sunshine Saldivar. "Ultimately, we were happy with the court's decision."
