Notice2023-01441
Endangered and Threatened Species; Draft Recovery Plan for the Oceanic Whitetip Shark (Carcharhinus Longimanus)
Primary source
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Published
January 25, 2023
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), announce the availability of a Draft Endangered Species Act (ESA) Recovery Plan for the threatened oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) for public review. We are soliciting review and comment from the public and all interested parties on the Draft Recovery Plan, and will consider all substantive comments received during the review period before submitting the Recovery Plan for final approval.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 16 (Wednesday, January 25, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 25, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4817-4818]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01441]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XC371]
Endangered and Threatened Species; Draft Recovery Plan for the
Oceanic Whitetip Shark (Carcharhinus Longimanus)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of draft recovery plan; request for
comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), announce the
availability of a Draft Endangered Species Act (ESA) Recovery Plan for
the threatened oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) for
public review. We are soliciting review and comment from the public and
all interested parties on the Draft Recovery Plan, and will consider
all substantive comments received during the review period before
submitting the Recovery Plan for final approval.
DATES: Comments on the Draft Recovery Plan must be received by March
27, 2023.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the Draft Recovery Plan,
identified by NOAA-NMFS-2022-0097 by the following method.
<bullet> Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic comments via
the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and
enter NOAA-NMFS-2022-0097 in the Search box. Click on the ``Comment''
icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
Instructions: 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 by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> 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. NMFS will accept anonymous
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain
anonymous).
Electronic copies of the Draft Recovery Plan and supporting
documents are available online at: <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/oceanic-whitetip-shark#conservation-management">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/oceanic-whitetip-shark#conservation-management</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristen Koyama, (301) 427-8456,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c9a2bba0babdaca7e7a2a6b0a8a4a889a7a6a8a8e7aea6bf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="610a13081215040f4f0a0e18000c00210f0e00004f060e17">[email protected]</span></a> or Chelsey Young, (808) 725-5154,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d5b6bdb0b9a6b0acfbacbaa0bbb295bbbab4b4fbb2baa3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="086b606d647b6d712671677d666f4866676969266f677e">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as amended (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.), requires that NMFS 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. Section 4(f)(1) of the ESA
requires that recovery plans incorporate, to the maximum extent
practicable: (1) site-specific management actions necessary to achieve
the plan's goals; (2) objective, measurable criteria which, when met,
would result in a determination that the species is no longer
threatened or endangered; and (3) estimates of the time required and
costs to implement recovery actions.
We listed the oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) as a
threatened species under the ESA on January 30, 2018 (83 FR 4153).
The oceanic whitetip shark is a globally distributed, pelagic
species of shark that is highly migratory, has low-moderate
productivity, and relatively low reproductive rates. While the current
population size is unknown, the best available information indicates
the oceanic whitetip shark has experienced significant declines in
abundance throughout its range over at least the last several decades
due to overutilization in commercial fisheries resulting in high levels
of fishing mortality. It is difficult to assess the global population
status of the oceanic whitetip shark because stock assessments to date
have only been conducted for the Western and Central Pacific stock.
Therefore, it is unknown whether global population abundance has
continued to decline, has stabilized, or has recently increased.
Regardless of recent trends, the oceanic whitetip shark's large
population decline is a cause for concern due to ongoing susceptibility
to threats acting on the species.
Development of the Draft Recovery Plan
In September 2018, we developed a recovery outline to
systematically and cohesively guide recovery for the oceanic whitetip
shark until we completed a recovery plan. The recovery outline is
available on our website at: <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/oceanic-whitetip-shark#conservation-management">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/oceanic-whitetip-shark#conservation-management</a>.
In April and November of 2019, we held two 3-day recovery planning
workshops for the oceanic whitetip shark in Honolulu, Hawaii and Miami,
Florida, respectively. The purpose of these workshops was to gather
expert input and perspectives on the best ways for recovering the
oceanic whitetip shark, including identifying potential recovery
criteria and actions to address the threats to the species. We invited
experts in specific topic areas, including the species' biology/
ecology, threats to the species, fisheries management, and the recovery
planning process itself. Identified experts included representatives of
Federal agencies, scientific experts, individuals from conservation
partners and non-governmental organizations, and representatives from
the commercial fishing industry. The workshop summaries were published
in late 2019 and are available from our website at: <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/oceanic-whitetip-shark#conservation-management">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/oceanic-whitetip-shark#conservation-management</a>.
The recovery planning components for the oceanic whitetip shark are
divided into three separate documents. The first document, the Recovery
Status Review, provides detailed information on the oceanic whitetip
shark's biology, ecology, status and threats, and conservation efforts
to date, which has typically been included in the background section of
a species' recovery plan. This separate document is designed to inform
all post-listing activities, including recovery planning, and is a
comprehensive update to the original 2017 status review (Young et al.
2017). The Recovery Status Review may be revised as new information
becomes available. The second document, the Draft Recovery Plan,
focuses on the statutory components of a recovery plan, as required
under the ESA to be incorporated to the maximum extent practicable: (1)
a description of site-specific management actions necessary for the
conservation and survival of the species (recovery actions); (2)
objective, measurable criteria that, when met, will allow the species
to be removed from the endangered and threatened species list; and (3)
estimates of the time and cost required to achieve the plan's goals.
[[Page 4818]]
Site-specific recovery actions in the Draft Recovery Plan are described
at a relatively high level and are strategic in nature. The third
document, the Draft Recovery Implementation Strategy, is a flexible,
operational document separate from the Draft Recovery Plan that
provides specific, prioritized activities necessary to fully implement
recovery actions in the Draft Recovery Plan, while affording us the
ability to modify these activities efficiently to reflect changes in
the information available as well as progress towards recovery. All
three of the recovery planning documents, including the Recovery Status
Review, the Draft Recovery Plan, and the Draft Recovery Implementation
Strategy, are available on the NMFS oceanic whitetip shark profile
website at: <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/oceanic-whitetip-shark#conservation-management">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/oceanic-whitetip-shark#conservation-management</a>.
We have determined that this Draft Recovery Plan for the oceanic
whitetip shark meets the statutory requirements for a recovery plan and
are proposing to adopt it as the ESA recovery plan for this threatened
species. Section 4(f)(4) of the ESA requires that public notice and an
opportunity to comment be provided prior to final approval of a
recovery plan. This notice solicits comments on this Draft Recovery
Plan.
Contents of the Draft Recovery Plan
The Draft Recovery Plan presents NMFS' proposed recovery goal,
objectives, and criteria, which, when met, would allow the oceanic
whitetip shark to be delisted. The proposed demographic and threats-
based recovery objectives and criteria are based on the listing factors
found in the ESA section 4(a)(1). The proposed demographic and threats-
based recovery objectives and criteria for the oceanic whitetip shark
address threats from significant population declines, bycatch-related
mortality in commercial fisheries, international trade of its fins,
inadequate regulatory mechanisms, and identifies stressors that should
be monitored for potential future impact, such as climate change. The
Draft Recovery Plan also describes specific information on the
following: current status of the oceanic whitetip shark, pressures
(limiting factors) and threats that have contributed to the species'
decline, recovery strategies to address the threats, and site-specific
recovery actions with timelines. The Draft Recovery Plan also estimates
the time and costs required to implement recovery actions.
The Draft Recovery Implementation Strategy provides specific,
prioritized activities necessary to fully implement recovery actions in
the Draft Recovery Plan. This stepped-down approach will afford us the
ability to modify these activities efficiently to reflect changes in
the information available as well as progress towards recovery.
How NMFS and Others Expect To Use the Plan
In addition to continuing to carry out actions already underway,
such as satellite tag deployment and analysis, genetic sampling, and
other research activities, we have begun implementation of other
actions as described in the plan, such as gear changes in certain
fisheries and developing additional regulatory measures to help protect
oceanic whitetip sharks in U.S. waters. After public comment and the
adoption of the Final Recovery Plan, our intention is 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 the public and
local stakeholders 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.
Public Comments Solicited
We are soliciting written comments on the Draft Recovery Plan. All
substantive comments received by the date specified above will be
considered and incorporated, as appropriate, prior to our decision on
whether to approve this Recovery Plan. While we invite comments on all
aspects of the Draft Recovery Plan, we are particularly interested in
comments on the proposed objectives, criteria, and actions, as well as
comments on the estimated time and cost of recovery actions and
activities.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: January 19, 2023.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-01441 Filed 1-24-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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