[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 14 (Friday, January 22, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3781-3782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-01239]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XE388
Endangered and Threatened Species; Notice of Initiation of a 5-
Year Review and Notice of Intent To Update the Recovery Plan for the
U.S. Distinct Population Segment of Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis
pectinata)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of initiation of a 5-year review and notice of intent to
update a recovery plan; request for information.
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SUMMARY: We, NMFS, announce the initiation of a 5-year review for the
U.S. distinct population segment (DPS) of smalltooth sawfish (hereafter
referred to as `smalltooth sawfish'), and our intent to update the
smalltooth sawfish recovery plan. A 5-year review is a periodic process
conducted to ensure that the listing classification of a species is
accurate. Recovery plans are guides to rebuild and assure the long-term
viability of protected species in the wild. Each document is based on
the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the
review/update. Therefore, we are requesting submission of any
information on the status of smalltooth sawfish that has become
available since the previous iterations of these documents in 2010 and
2009 respectively.
DATES: Information regarding the status of smalltooth sawfish must be
received by March 22, 2016.
ADDRESSES: You may submit information by either of the following
methods:
Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic comments via
the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2016-0005, click the ``Comment Now!'' icon,
complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
Mail: Submit written information to the Protected
Resources Division, NMFS Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue
South, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701.
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.), confidential business
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily
by the sender will be publicly accessible. We will accept anonymous
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain
anonymous), although submitting comments anonymously will prevent us
from contacting you if we have difficulty retrieving your submission.
Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word,
Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adam Brame, Protected Resources
Division, 727-209-5958.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as
amended, 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 smalltooth sawfish.
Section 4(f) of the ESA requires NMFS to develop and implement
recovery plans for the conservation and survival of federally-listed
species. Section 4(f) also requires that a public notice and
opportunity to review and comment be provided during recovery plan
development.
Recovery means that listed species and their ecosystems are
restored, and their future secured, so that the protections of the ESA
are no longer necessary. The ESA specifies that recovery plans must
include: (1) A description of management actions necessary to achieve
the plan's goals for
[[Page 3782]]
the conservation and survival of the species; (2) objective, measurable
criteria which, when met, would result in the species being removed
from the list; and (3) estimates of the time and costs required to
achieve the plan's goal and the intermediate steps towards that goal.
The U.S. DPS of smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) was listed
as endangered under the ESA on April 1, 2003 (68 FR 15680) subsequent
to a 1999 listing petition from The Ocean Conservancy. Smalltooth
sawfish were once prevalent throughout Florida and were encountered
from Texas to North Carolina. Currently, smalltooth sawfish can only be
found with any regularity in south Florida between the Caloosahatchee
River and the Florida Keys. The smalltooth sawfish recovery team
prepared a recovery plan in 2009. Then in 2010, NMFS completed the
first 5-year review for the species. NMFS will consider all substantive
comments and information presented during the public comment period in
the course of drafting each of these documents.
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 smalltooth sawfish in U.S.
waters. 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. Any new information will be
considered during the 5-year review and will also be incorporated, as
appropriate, into the recovery plan update.
In regards to the recovery plan, we are soliciting relevant
information related to smalltooth sawfish and their habitats,
including: (1) Criteria for removing smalltooth sawfish from the list
of threatened and endangered species; (2) human activities that
contribute to the ESA listing factors (section 4(a)(1)(A)-(E)); (3)
strategies and/or actions necessary to recover smalltooth sawfish; (4)
critical knowledge gaps and/or uncertainties that need to be resolved
to better inform recovery efforts; and (5) research, monitoring and
evaluation needs to address knowledge gaps and uncertainties, to assess
the species' status, or to evaluate progress in addressing the ESA
listing factors relative to recovery goals. Upon completion, the
updated recovery plan will be available for public review and comment
through the publication of a Federal Register Notice.
Authority
The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: January 19, 2016.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-01239 Filed 1-21-16; 8:45 am]
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