Recovery, though, by definition, is "no longer threatened or endangered". Kinda the problem with the whole system. When the population is self-sustaining AND the proximate reasons for endangerment are removed, they are delisted.

As to spending monies, tons of money has been spent on Condor and Whooping Crane recovery and there is never going to be a season on them. Although, if recovery of swans, cranes, and shorebirds had been conducted with the intent of eventually having harvests, we would have preserved a whole lot more habitat.

"Self-sustaining" is a damn low bar while abundances necessary to support consistent fisheries require much larger populations and more habitat. We don't want to protect that much habitat.