[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 46 (Friday, March 9, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10710-10711]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4260]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 022307A]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Initiation of a Status Review 
under the Endangered Species Act for Cusk

AGENCY:  National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of initiation of a status review under the Endangered 
Species Act (ESA); request for information.

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SUMMARY: We, NMFS, announce the initiation of a status review for the 
cusk and solicit information on the status of, and threats to, the 
species.

DATES: Information regarding the status of, and threats to, the cusk 
must be received by April 1, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit information by any one of the following 
methods:
     Fax: 978-281-9394, Attention: Kim Damon-Randall-Damon
     Mail: Information on paper, disk, or CD-ROM should be 
addressed to the Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected 
Resources, NMFS, Protected Resources Division, One Blackburn Drive, 
Gloucester, MA 01930.
     E-mail: [email protected]. Include in the subject line the 
following identifier: cusk status review.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Kim Damon-Randall, NMFS Northeast 
Region, 978-281-9300 ext. 6535; or Marta Nammack, NMFS-HQ, Office of 
Protected Resources, 301-713-1401 ext. 180.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Because of concern over declines in abundance, we identified cusk 
(Brosme brosme) as a species of concern on April 15, 2004 (69 FR 
19975). In May 2003, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife 
in Canada (COSEWIC) completed a status report for cusk in Canada and 
assessed the species status as threatened. In April 2006, the Minister 
of the Environment referred the assessment back to COSEWIC for further 
information and consideration. It is, therefore, unclear whether cusk 
will be listed in Canada under the Species at Risk Act.
    Our Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) autumn bottom trawl 
survey biomass index for cusk has fluctuated considerably, but a 
declining trend has been evident since the late 1960s, with all indices 
remaining at or close to record-low levels from 1985 through 2002 
(Sosebee and Cadrin, 2006). The 1998 biomass index is near zero and is 
the record low. Cusk have been found to be distributed primarily in 
deeper waters in the central portion of the Gulf of Maine where a 
declining trend is also apparent on the distribution maps, and where 
very few fish were caught in 1993-1997 and 1998-2002 (Sosebee and 
Cadrin, 2006). Mean length has also declined from 24 inches (62 cm) 
during 1964 to 1987 to 19 inches (50 cm) during the period of 1988 to 
1998. In the early 1970s, individual fish weight averaged 3 kg but was 
reduced by 50 percent to 1.5 kg in the late 1990s. Landings and survey 
indices have dropped considerably from 1984 to 2004 (NMFS, 2004). The 
ratio of landings to survey biomass estimates has been increasing since 
1986, which implies increased exploitation over that time period.
    In the United States, the cusk fishery is not presently managed. 
Fishing was unrestricted in Canada until 1999 when limitations were 
established for landings in the Scotia-Fundy region. Despite these 
limitations, fishing continues to be a source of mortality. Fishing 
mortality is one of the prime factors for the observed decline. This 
appears to be a transboundary species, and, as such, conservation 
measures may be needed both in the United States and Canada.
     Our notice establishing the species of concern list states that as 
resources permit, we intend to conduct status reviews, collect 
documentation, and make appropriate amendments relevant to species on 
the list (69 FR 19975; April 15, 2004). As such, we are initiating a 
status review for cusk. We will use the status review report and any 
other information that we obtain during this process to determine if 
listing this species under the ESA is warranted or if this species 
should be retained or removed from the species of concern list.

Request for Information

    To support this status review, we are soliciting information 
relevant to the status of and threats to the species, including, but 
not limited to, information on the following topics: (1) Historical and 
current abundance and distribution of the species; (2) potential 
factors for the species' decline throughout its range; (3) rates of 
capture and release of the species from both recreational and 
commercial fisheries; (4) post-release mortality; (5) life history 
information (size/age at maturity, growth rates, fecundity, 
reproductive rate/success, etc.); (6) morphological and molecular 
information to assist in determining stock structure; (7) threats to 
the species, particularly: (a) Present or threatened destruction, 
modification, or curtailment of habitat or range; (b) over-utilization 
for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes; (c) 
disease or predation; (d) inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; 
or (e) other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued 
existence; and (8) any ongoing conservation efforts for the species. 
See DATES and ADDRESSES for guidance on and deadlines for submitting 
information.


[[Page 10711]]


    Dated: March 5, 2007.
James H. Lecky,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. E7-4260 Filed 3-8-07; 8:45 am]
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