NOAA: Great hammerhead shark currently not in danger of extinction

Today, the National Marine Fisheries Service turned down requests by WildEarth Guardians and the Natural Resources Defense Council to list the Great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

You can find the related press release ( published in December 2012 ) by WildEarth Guardians here.

Based on the best scientific and commercial information available,
the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has determined that this hammerhead species is not comprised of distinct population segments (DPSs) and does not warrant an ESA listing at this time.

NMFS concludes that the great hammerhead shark is not currently in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range and is not likely to become so within the foreseeable future.

More Information on the Notice of 12-Month Finding on the two Listing Petitions is provided below.

Related Document ( PDF ) :

Status Review Report:

Great Hammerhead Shark (Sphyran mokarran),

Final Report to National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources

Miller et al. June 2014

PDF-DOWNLOAD

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BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 130213133-4463-02]
RIN 0648-XC508

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants;

Notice of 12-Month Finding on Petitions to List
the Great Hammerhead Shark as Threatened or Endangered Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA)

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

ACTION: Notice of 12-month finding and availability of status review document.

SUMMARY: We, NMFS, announce a 12-month finding on two petitions to list the entire population of great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran), the northwest Atlantic population, or any distinct population segments (DPSs) of great hammerhead sharks, as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We have completed a comprehensive status review of the great hammerhead shark in response to these petitions. Based on the best scientific and commercial information available, including the status review report (Miller et al., 2014), we have determined that the species is not comprised of DPSs and does not warrant listing at this time. We conclude that the great hammerhead shark is not currently in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range and is not likely to become so within the foreseeable future.

You can link to the complete Federal Register notice HERE.

Source: Federal Register