[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 133 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56865-56866]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-15186]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XD834]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Recovery Plan for the Oceanic 
Whitetip Shark; Notice of Initiation of a 5-Year Review for the Oceanic 
Whitetip Shark

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

ACTION: Notice of availability; notice of initiation; request for 
information.

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SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces the 
adoption of an Endangered Species Act (ESA) Recovery Plan for the 
threatened oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus). The 
Recovery Plan and associated Recovery Implementation Strategy for this 
species are now available. We also announce the initiation of a 5-year 
review for the oceanic whitetip shark. NMFS is required by the ESA to 
conduct 5-year reviews to ensure that the 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 the oceanic whitetip 
shark, particularly information on the status, threats, and recovery of 
the species that has become available since it was listed in 2018.

DATES: To allow us adequate time to conduct this review, we must 
receive your information no later than September 9, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit information on this document, identified by 
NOAA-NMFS-2024-0043, by the following method:
     Electronic Submission: Submit electronic information via 
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Visit https://www.regulations.gov and 
type NOAA-NMFS-2024-0043 in the Search box. Click on the ``Comment'' 
icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
    Instructions: 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 by NMFS. All information received is a 
part of the public record and will generally be posted for public 
viewing on https://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).
    Electronic copies of the Recovery Plan and Recovery Implementation 
Strategy are available on the NMFS website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/oceanic-whitetip-shark/conservation-management.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristen Koyama, (301) 427-8456, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Recovery Plan

    The ESA of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), requires that 
we develop and implement recovery plans for the conservation and 
survival of threatened and endangered species under our jurisdiction, 
unless it is determined that such plans would not promote the 
conservation of the species. We listed the oceanic whitetip shark 
(Carcharhinus longimanus) as a threatened species under the ESA on 
January 30, 2018 (83 FR 4153). We published a Notice of Availability of 
the Draft Recovery Plan in the Federal Register on January 25, 2023 (88 
FR 4817) to obtain public comments on the Draft Plan. We revised the 
Draft Plan based on the comment submissions received, along with peer 
review comments, and the revised version now constitutes the final 
Recovery Plan for the oceanic whitetip shark.
    Recovery plans help identify and guide recovery needs for species 
listed under the ESA. Section 4(f)(1) of the ESA requires that recovery 
plans include, to the maximum extent practicable: (1) site-specific 
management actions necessary to achieve the plan's goal for the 
conservation and survival of the species; (2) objective, measurable 
criteria which, when met, would result in a determination that the 
species be removed from the list; and (3) estimates of the time 
required and cost to carry out those measures needed to achieve the 
recovery plan's goal.
    The Recovery Plan addresses the recovery planning requirements of 
the ESA for the oceanic whitetip shark. It presents a recovery strategy 
based on the biological and ecological needs of the species, current 
threats, and existing conservation measures, all of which affect its 
long-term viability. The overall strategy to recover the oceanic 
whitetip shark is to minimize fishing mortality, the primary threat to 
the species, through a two-pronged approach: (1) reducing the frequency 
of fishing interactions, and (2) increasing survivorship before, 
during, and after interactions with fishing gear occur. Given the 
oceanic whitetip shark's range is largely outside of U.S. jurisdiction, 
the recovery strategy includes international cooperation through 
Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) and other 
international partners. The Recovery Plan identifies three recovery 
objectives that, collectively, describe the conditions necessary to 
achieve recovery: (1) Ensure the oceanic whitetip shark maintains 
resiliency and geographic representation, and is a functional component 
of the ecosystem, by increasing overall abundance to achieve viable 
populations in all ocean basins; (2) Increase oceanic whitetip shark 
resiliency by managing or eliminating significant anthropogenic 
threats; and (3) Ensure the continued viability of the oceanic whitetip 
shark through development and effective implementation of regulatory 
mechanisms for the long-term protection of the species. The Recovery 
Plan includes demographic and threats-based recovery criteria that can 
be used to help determine when a stable and sustainable population size 
has been reached and that threats from bycatch-related mortality in 
commercial fisheries, international trade of its fins,

[[Page 56866]]

and inadequate regulatory mechanisms have been minimized, managed, or 
eliminated such that they are not contributing to the species being in 
danger of extinction within the foreseeable future. The Recovery Plan 
identifies recovery actions needed to improve knowledge and 
understanding of oceanic whitetip shark population dynamics, reduce 
fisheries bycatch and mortality, address impacts from international 
trade, improve monitoring and reporting of fisheries interactions with 
oceanic whitetip sharks, implement and enforce regulatory mechanisms, 
and increase public and stakeholder awareness through education and 
outreach strategies. Collectively, the objectives, recovery criteria, 
and recovery actions represent NMFS' expectations of conditions to 
recover the oceanic whitetip shark so the species may be removed from 
the list.
    The Recovery Plan is accompanied by the Recovery Implementation 
Strategy, which is a flexible, operational document that provides 
specific, prioritized activities necessary to fully implement recovery 
actions in the plan. The activities in the Recovery Implementation 
Strategy may be modified to reflect changes in the information 
available as well as progress towards recovery. If/when the science 
indicates that meaningful changes to the recovery actions and criteria 
are necessary, the Recovery Plan will be revised and a revised draft 
will be made available for public comment before being finalized.

How NMFS and Others Expect To Use the Recovery Plan

    With adoption of this Recovery Plan, we will seek to implement the 
actions and activities for which we have authority and funding; 
encourage other Federal, state, and local agencies to implement 
recovery actions and activities for which they have responsibility, 
authority, and funding; and work cooperatively with other partners and 
the public on implementation of other actions and activities. We expect 
the Recovery Plan to guide us and other Federal agencies in evaluating 
Federal actions under ESA section 7, as well as in implementing other 
provisions of the ESA, such as considering permits under section 10, 
and other statutes.
    When we are evaluating the species' status in the future, such as 
during a 5-year review as required by section 4(c)(2) of the ESA, the 
agency will examine whether the ESA section 4(a)(1) listing factors 
have been addressed. To assist in this examination, we will also 
evaluate the delisting criteria described in the Recovery Plan, which 
include both demographic-based criteria and threats-based criteria 
addressing each of the ESA section 4(a)(1) listing factors, as well as 
any other relevant data and policy considerations.

Initiation of a 5-Year Review for the Oceanic Whitetip Shark and Public 
Solicitation of New Information

    Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the ESA requires that we conduct a review of 
listed species at least once every 5 years. This will be the first 
review of this species pursuant to this provision of the ESA since it 
was listed in 2018 under the ESA. 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, we 
determine under section 4(c)(2)(B) whether any species should be 
removed from the list (i.e., delisted) or reclassified from endangered 
to threatened or from threatened to endangered (16 U.S.C. 
1533(c)(2)(B)). As described by the regulations in 50 CFR 424.11(e), 
the Secretary shall delist a species if the Secretary determines based 
on consideration of the factors and standards set forth in paragraph 
(c) of that section, that the best scientific and commercial data 
available substantiate that: (1) the species is extinct; (2) the 
species has recovered to the point at which it no longer meets the 
definition of an endangered species or a threatened species; (3) new 
information that has become available since the original listing 
decision shows the listed entity does not meet the definition of an 
endangered species or a threatened species; or (4) new information that 
has become available since the original listing decision shows the 
listed entity does not meet the definition of a species. Any change in 
Federal classification would require a separate rulemaking process.
    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 the oceanic whitetip shark 
(C. longimanus). 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 
to the species and its habitats; (4) conservation measures that have 
been implemented that benefit the species, including monitoring data 
demonstrating effectiveness of such measures; and (5) 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 review, you may submit 
your information and materials electronically (see ADDRESSES section). 
We request that all information be accompanied by supporting 
documentation such as maps, bibliographic references, or reprints of 
pertinent publications.

Conclusion

    NMFS concludes that the Recovery Plan meets the requirements of the 
ESA section 4(f) and is therefore adopting it as the final Recovery 
Plan for the oceanic whitetip shark.
    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.

    Dated: July 5, 2024.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-15186 Filed 7-10-24; 8:45 am]
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