[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 173 (Friday, September 6, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46938-46939]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19294]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XR016
Endangered and Threatened Species; Initiation of 5-Year Review
for the Scalloped Hammerhead Shark Central & Southwest Atlantic,
Eastern Atlantic, Eastern Pacific, and Indo-West Pacific Distinct
Population Segments
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 its intent to conduct a 5-year review for the
four distinct population segments (DPSs) of the scalloped hammerhead
shark (Sphyrna lewini): Eastern Atlantic DPS, Eastern Pacific DPS,
Central & Southwest Atlantic DPS, and Indo-West Pacific DPS. NMFS is
required by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to conduct 5-year reviews
to ensure that listing classifications of species are accurate. The 5-
year review must be based on the best scientific and commercial data
available at the time of the review. We request submission of any such
information on these scalloped hammerhead shark DPSs, particularly
information on the status, threats, and recovery of the DPSs that have
become available since their listing on July 3, 2014 (79 FR 38214).
DATES: To allow us adequate time to conduct this review, we must
receive your information no later than November 5, 2019. However, we
will continue to accept new information about any listed species at any
time.
ADDRESSES: You may submit information on this document identified by
NOAA-NMFS-2019-0071 by either of the following methods:
Electronic submission: Submit electronic information via
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov. To submit
information via the e-Rulemaking Portal, first click the ``submit a
comment'' icon, then enter NOAA-NMFS-2019-0071 in the keyword search.
Locate the document you wish to respond to from the resulting list and
click on the ``Submit a Comment'' icon on the right of that line.
Mail or Hand-Deliver: Submit written comments to
Endangered Species Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13626, Silver Spring, MD
20910; Attn: Quibilah Barnes.
Instructions: Information must be submitted by one of the above
methods to ensure that the information is received, documented, and
considered by NMFS. Information sent by any other method, to any other
address or individual, or received after the end of the specified
period, may not be considered. All information received is 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 or protected information submitted
voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept
anonymous submissions (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish
to remain anonymous).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Therese Conant at the above address
(attn.: Quibilah Barnes), by phone at
[[Page 46939]]
(916) 930-3627 or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces our review of the
status of the endangered Eastern Atlantic DPS, endangered Eastern
Pacific DPS, threatened Central & Southwest Atlantic DPS, and
threatened Indo-West Pacific DPS of scalloped hammerhead shark. 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 species currently under active review. On the basis of such
reviews under section 4(c)(2)(B), we determine whether a species should
be delisted or reclassified from endangered to threatened or from
threatened to endangered. As described by the regulations in 50 CFR
424.11(d), delisting a species must be supported by the best scientific
and commercial data available and only considered if such data
substantiates that the species is neither endangered nor threatened for
one or more of the following reasons: (1) The species is considered
extinct; (2) the species is considered to be recovered; or (3) the
original data available when the species was listed, or the
interpretation of such data, were in error. Any change in Federal
classification would require a separate rulemaking process. The
scalloped hammerhead shark DPSs were listed under the ESA on July 3,
2014 (79 FR 38214).
Background information on the scalloped hammerhead shark DPSs is
available on the NMFS website at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/scalloped-hammerhead-shark.
Determining if a Species Is Threatened or Endangered
Section 4(a)(1) of the ESA requires that we determine whether a
species is endangered or threatened based on one or more of the five
following factors: (1) The present or threatened destruction,
modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range; (2)
overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or
educational purposes; (3) disease or predation; (4) the inadequacy of
existing regulatory mechanisms; or (5) other natural or manmade factors
affecting its continued existence. Section 4(b) also requires that our
determination be made on the basis of the best scientific and
commercial data available after conducting a review of the status of
the species and after taking into account those efforts, if any, being
made by any State or foreign nation, to protect such species.
Public Solicitation of New Information
To ensure that the 5-year review is complete and based on the best
available scientific and commercial data, 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 the listed scalloped
hammerhead DPSs. 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
important features for conservation; (3) status and trends of threats;
(4) conservation measures that have been implemented that benefit the
species, including monitoring data demonstrating effectiveness of such
measures; (5) need for additional conservation measures; and (6) other
new information, data, or corrections including, but not limited to,
taxonomic or nomenclatural changes and improved analytical methods for
evaluating extinction risk.
If you wish to provide information for the 5-year reviews, you may
submit your information and materials electronically or via mail (see
ADDRESSES section). We request that all information be accompanied by
supporting documentation such as maps, bibliographic references, or
reprints of pertinent publications. We also would appreciate the
submitter's name, address, and any association, institution, or
business that the person represents; however, anonymous submissions
will also be accepted.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.
Dated: September 3, 2019.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-19294 Filed 9-5-19; 8:45 am]
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