[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61573-61574]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-24935]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XC281
Endangered and Threatened Species; Initiation of 5-Year Review
for Kemp's Ridley, Olive Ridley, Leatherback, and Hawksbill Sea Turtles
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of initiation of 5-year review; request for information.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces 5-year reviews of Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys
kempii), olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), leatherback (Dermochelys
coriacea), and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). A 5-year review is
based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time
of the review; therefore, we are requesting submission of any such
information on these sea turtles that has become available since that
has become available since their last status review in 2007.
DATES: To allow us adequate time to conduct this review, we must
receive your information no later than December 10, 2012. However, we
will continue to accept new information about any listed species at any
time.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by
NOAA-NMFS-2012-0196, by any of the following methods:
Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal www.regulations.gov. To
submit comments via the e-Rulemaking Portal, first click the ``submit a
comment'' icon, then enter NOAA-NMFS-2012-0196 in the keyword search.
Locate the document you wish to comment on
[[Page 61574]]
from the resulting list and click on the ``Submit a Comment'' icon on
the right of that line.
Mail or hand-delivery: Angela Somma, National Marine
Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Endangered Species
Division, 1325 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Instructions: Comments must be submitted by one of the above
methods to ensure that the comments are received, documented, and
considered by NMFS. Comments sent by any other method, to any other
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period,
may not be considered. All comments received are a part of the public
record and will generally be posted for public viewing on
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.) submitted voluntarily by the
sender will be publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential business
information, or otherwise sensitive or protected information. NMFS will
accept anonymous comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you
wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be
accepted in Microsoft Word or Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file
formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larissa Plants, Office of Protected
Resources, 301-427-8471.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the ESA requires that
we conduct a review of listed species at least once every five years.
The regulations in 50 CFR 424.21 require that we publish a notice in
the Federal Register announcing those species currently under active
review. This notice announces our active review of the Kemp's ridley,
olive ridley, leatherback, and hawksbill sea turtles.
Public Solicitation of New Information
To ensure that the 5-year review is complete and based on the best
available scientific and commercial information, we are soliciting new
information from the public, governmental agencies, Tribes, the
scientific community, industry, environmental entities, and any other
interested parties concerning the status of Kemp's ridley, olive
ridley, leatherback, and hawksbill sea turtles. The 5-year review
considers the best scientific and commercial data and all new
information that has become available since the listing determination
or most recent status review. Categories of requested information
include: (1) Species biology including, but not limited to, population
trends, distribution, abundance, demographics, and genetics; (2)
habitat conditions including, but not limited to, amount, distribution,
and suitability; (3) conservation measures that have been implemented
that benefit the species; (4) status and trends of threats; and (5)
other new information, data, or corrections including, but not limited
to, taxonomic or nomenclatural changes, identification of erroneous
information contained in the List of Endangered and Threatened Species,
and improved analytical methods.
Any new information will be considered during the 5-year review and
will also be useful in evaluating the ongoing recovery program for
these sea turtles. For example, information on conservation measures
will assist in tracking implementation of recovery actions.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.
Dated: October 3, 2012.
Heather Coll,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-24935 Filed 10-9-12; 8:45 am]
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