Declining does not mean facing extinction

reports:

The season could be a whiteout for both sellers and consumers alike, he said, as environmental watchdog Forest and has called for a total ban on selling commercial  to help save the four of the five species threatened with extinction. …

Forest and Bird freshwater spokeswoman Annabeth Cohen said stopping commercial sales would help lift the pressure on the struggling native migratory whitebait galaxiid​ species – kōaro, shortjawed kōkopu, banded kōkopu, giant kōkopu and inanga.

Kōaro, inanga and giant kōkopu populations are listed as ‘declining' by the Department of Conservation.

A declining status is not on the verge of extinction. There are four levels of threat:

  1. Critical
  2. Endangered
  3. Vulnerable
  4. Declining

is not to argue for or against a ban, but do wish stories would reflect that a declining status does not mean facing extinction.