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Endangered and Threatened Species; Initiation of a Status Review under the Endangered Species Act for the Atlantic White Marlin

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[Federal Register: December 21, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 245)]
[Notices]
[Page 76639]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21de06-31]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 121506A]

Endangered and Threatened Species; Initiation of a Status Review
under the Endangered Species Act for the Atlantic White Marlin

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of initiation of a status review under the Endangered
Species Act (ESA); request for information.

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SUMMARY: We, NMFS, announce the initiation of a status review for the
Atlantic white marlin (Tetrapturus albidus), and we solicit information
on the status of and threats to the species.

DATES: Information regarding the status of and threats to the Atlantic
white marlin must be received by February 20, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit information on the Atlantic white marlin by
any one of the following methods:
    ? Fax: 727-824-5309, Attention: Dr. Stephania Bolden
    ? Mail: Information on paper, disk or CD-ROM should be
addressed to the Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected
Resources, NMFS Southeast Regional Office, 263 13\th\ Avenue South, St.
Petersburg, FL 33701
    ? E-mail: whitemarlin.info@noaa.gov. Include in the subject
line the following identifier: white marlin review

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Stephania Bolden, NMFS, Southeast
Regional Office (727) 824-5312, or Ms. Marta Nammack, NMFS, Office of
Protected Resources (301) 713-1401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    We conducted a status review of the Atlantic white marlin under the
ESA and published a 12-month determination that listing was not
warranted (67 FR 57204; September 9, 2002). As a result of subsequent
litigation and a settlement agreement with the Center for Biological
Diversity, we agreed to initiate a status review following the 2006
stock assessment by the International Commission for the Conservation
of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT); the 2006 ICCAT white marlin stock assessment
can be found at http://www.iccat.int Exit Disclaimer. Atlantic white marlin are 
billfish (Family: Istiophoridae) found throughout tropical and temperate 
waters of the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. White marlin, along with 
other billfish and tunas, are managed internationally by the member nations
of the ICCAT. At this time we announce commencement of a new status
review for the Atlantic white marlin, and request information regarding
the status of and threats to the species, pursuant to the terms of the
aforementioned settlement agreement.

Request for Information

    To support this status review, we are soliciting information
relevant to the status of and threats to the species, including, but
not limited to, information on the following topics: (1) historical and
current abundance and distribution of the species and congeners
throughout the species range; (2) potential factors for the species'
decline throughout the species range; (3) rates of capture and release
of the species from both recreational and commercial fisheries; (4)
post-release mortality; (5) life history information (size/age at
maturity, growth rates, fecundity, reproductive rate/success, etc.);
(6) morphological and molecular information to assist in determining
taxonomy of this species and congeners; (7) threats to the species,
particularly: (a) present or threatened destruction, modification, or
curtailment of habitat or range; (b) over-utilization for commercial,
recreational, scientific, or educational purposes; (c) disease or
predation, (d) inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms, or (e)
other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued existence; and
(8) any ongoing conservation efforts for the species. See DATES and
ADDRESSES for guidance on and deadlines for submitting information.

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

    Dated: December 18, 2006.
Donna Wieting,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 06-9812 Filed 12-18-06; 2:45 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S

 
 

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