[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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