Endangered and Threatened Species; Initiation of 5-Year Review for the North Pacific Right Whale, 29842 [2017-13701]

Download as PDF 29842 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 125 / Friday, June 30, 2017 / Notices mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES #!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-20170020. Click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. • Mail: Submit written comments to Therese Conant, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Instructions: You must submit comments by one of the above methods to ensure that we receive, document, and consider them. 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 https://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). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1533(f)) requires the Secretary to develop recovery plans for all species listed pursuant to the ESA, unless he/she finds that such a plan will not promote the recovery of the species. Section 4(h) of the ESA requires the Secretary to establish a system for developing and implementing, on a priority basis, recovery plans under Section 4(f). We finalized guidance for prioritizing recovery plan development and implementation on June 15, 1990 (55 FR 24296). However, through our application of the Recovery Plan Preparation and Implementation Priorities and Recovery Plans (see parts ‘B’ and ‘C’ 55 FR 24296; June 15, 1990), we have determined that the guidelines contain vague definitions and lack sufficient detail regarding factors that should be considered when evaluating threats and recovery potential. For these reasons, we published, on May 31, 2017 (82 FR 24944), proposed revisions to the Recovery Plan Preparation and Implementation Priorities and Recovery Plan parts of the 1990 Listing and Recovery Priority Guidelines. We solicited comments on the proposed revision to be submitted by June 30, 2017. On June 14 and June 16, 2017, we received requests to extend the public comment period by an additional 30 days and 90 days, respectively. Thus, we are extending the public comment period through August 28, 2017. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:32 Jun 29, 2017 Jkt 241001 Previously submitted comments do not need to be resubmitted. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq. Dated: June 26, 2017. Catherine Marzin, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2017–13714 Filed 6–29–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XF425 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of initiation of 5-year review; request for information. AGENCY: NMFS announces a 5-year review of the North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as amended. A 5-year review must be based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review; therefore, we are requesting submission of any such information on these whales that has become available since the last status review in 2012. DATES: To allow us adequate time to conduct this review, we must receive your information no later than July 31, 2017. However, we will continue to accept new information about any listed species at any time. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by NOAA– NMFS–2017–0046, by either of the following methods: • Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-20170046, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. • Mail: Submit written comments to Jon Kurland, Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, Alaska Region NMFS, Attn: Ellen Sebastian. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802–1668. 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 SUMMARY: Frm 00022 Fmt 4703 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Verena Gill, NMFS Alaska Region, (907) 271–1937, verena.gill@noaa.gov. 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. This notice announces our active review of North Pacific right whales, currently listed as endangered. 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 North Pacific right whales. Categories of requested information include: (1) Species biology and demographics (population trends, distribution, abundance, genetics, etc.); (2) habitat conditions (amount, distribution, suitability, quality, etc.); (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 including, but not limited to, taxonomic or nomenclatural changes, identification of erroneous information contained in the list of threatened and endangered species, and improved analytical methods, if any. Any new information will be considered during the 5-year review and will also be useful in evaluating the ongoing recovery programs for these whales. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Endangered and Threatened Species; Initiation of 5-Year Review for the North Pacific Right Whale PO 00000 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), confidential 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). Sfmt 9990 Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq. Dated: June 26, 2017. Catherine Marzin, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2017–13701 Filed 6–29–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P E:\FR\FM\30JNN1.SGM 30JNN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 125 (Friday, June 30, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 29842]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13701]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF425


Endangered and Threatened Species; Initiation of 5-Year Review 
for the North Pacific Right Whale

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

ACTION: Notice of initiation of 5-year review; request for information.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS announces a 5-year review of the North Pacific right 
whale (Eubalaena japonica) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(ESA), as amended. A 5-year review must be based on the best scientific 
and commercial data available at the time of the review; therefore, we 
are requesting submission of any such information on these whales that 
has become available since the last status review in 2012.

DATES: To allow us adequate time to conduct this review, we must 
receive your information no later than July 31, 2017. However, we will 
continue to accept new information about any listed species at any 
time.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by 
NOAA-NMFS-2017-0046, by either of the following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2017-0046, click the 
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or 
attach your comments.
     Mail: Submit written comments to Jon Kurland, Assistant 
Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, Alaska Region NMFS, 
Attn: Ellen Sebastian. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 
99802-1668.

    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 
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address), confidential 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).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Verena Gill, NMFS Alaska Region, (907) 
271-1937, verena.gill@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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. 
This notice announces our active review of North Pacific right whales, 
currently listed as endangered. 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 North Pacific right whales. Categories of requested 
information include: (1) Species biology and demographics (population 
trends, distribution, abundance, genetics, etc.); (2) habitat 
conditions (amount, distribution, suitability, quality, etc.); (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 including, but not limited to, 
taxonomic or nomenclatural changes, identification of erroneous 
information contained in the list of threatened and endangered species, 
and improved analytical methods, if any. Any new information will be 
considered during the 5-year review and will also be useful in 
evaluating the ongoing recovery programs for these whales.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.

    Dated: June 26, 2017.
Catherine Marzin,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-13701 Filed 6-29-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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