Search Results for keywords:"conservation efforts"

The Department of Commerce has submitted an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This request, made by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, involves extending a current information collection concerning conservation efforts under the Endangered Species Act. The initiative includes creating conservation plans or agreements, monitoring their effectiveness, and producing annual reports. Public comments on this proposal are invited for 30 days following the notice's publication date.

The National Marine Fisheries Service has issued a permit to the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center to conduct research and activities aimed at helping the endangered Hawaiian monk seals. The activities will take place in the Hawaiian Archipelago and Johnston Atoll and will include health checks, tagging, and other conservation efforts to improve the seals' survival rates. The permit is valid until the end of 2029, and researchers will also study threats to the seals, explore solutions, and assess the effectiveness of their efforts. The permit also covers potential impacts on some dolphin species and allows for the collection and analysis of seal parts.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of NOAA and the Commerce Department, announced the receipt of nine permit applications for scientific research involving Pacific salmon, steelhead, and other species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This research aims to increase understanding and improve conservation efforts. The permits involve various activities, such as capturing and studying fish through methods like electrofishing and tagging. The research seeks to benefit these endangered species by generating data to assist in habitat conservation and management decisions. The NMFS will evaluate these applications and provide a final decision after a 30-day public comment period.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed removing Ute ladies'-tresses, a type of orchid, from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Plants. The decision is based on a review of scientific data indicating that the species has recovered enough and is no longer threatened by extinction. The proposal explains that conservation efforts and regulatory protections, along with the species' natural resilience to threats such as urban development and climate change, ensure its survival. If the rule is finalized, the legal protections under the Endangered Species Act for this plant would no longer apply, but post-delisting monitoring will be conducted to ensure the species remains secure.

The National Marine Fisheries Service is starting 5-year reviews of six foreign elasmobranch species, including some types of sharks and guitarfish. These reviews, required by the Endangered Species Act, aim to determine if a species should remain on the endangered list or be reclassified based on new data. Public input is requested, and people can provide relevant information electronically until September 15, 2025. The agency will use the best available scientific and commercial data to make their decisions.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has started a 5-year review of the endangered daggernose shark, as mandated by the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This review will determine if the shark should remain listed as endangered, be reclassified, or be delisted, relying on the best scientific and commercial data available. The NMFS is asking for information on the shark's biology, habitat, threats, conservation efforts, and any new findings since the last review completed in 2015. Interested parties need to submit any relevant information electronically by March 3, 2025.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reviewed a petition to classify the Rio Grande cutthroat trout as endangered or threatened but found that it is not warranted at this time. This trout, which inhabits high-altitude streams in New Mexico and Colorado, faces threats such as hybridization with nonnative trout and habitat threats like wildfires and climate change. However, current conservation efforts, including a multi-agency agreement, have helped improve its population's resiliency. As a result, the Service concludes that the trout is not currently in danger of extinction throughout its range, nor is it likely to become endangered soon.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced the reclassification of the June sucker from "endangered" to "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act, reflecting significant improvements in its population through conservation efforts. The agency has implemented a set of rules under section 4(d) to continue the protection and recovery of the species, allowing certain activities like research, habitat restoration, and the management of recreational fisheries to occur without violating the Act, provided they aid in the conservation of the June sucker. These activities include removing nonnative fish, conducting habitat restoration projects, and monitoring populations, all aimed at securing the June sucker's recovery while maintaining public engagement and education efforts.