Endangered and Threatened Species; Recovery Plan for the Oceanic Whitetip Shark; Notice of Initiation of a 5-Year Review for the Oceanic Whitetip Shark
| Published date | 11 July 2024 |
| Record Number | 2024-15186 |
| Citation | 89 FR 56865 |
| Court | National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration |
| Section | Notices |
Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 133 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)
[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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