[Coral-List] Follow-up to Coral Proposed Listing

Douglas Fenner douglasfennertassi at gmail.com
Fri Nov 30 14:26:57 EST 2012


Fantastic!!!  Thanks to everyone for their very hard work on this!!  We
look forward to working with you.
  Cheers, Douglas Fenner


On Fri, Nov 30, 2012 at 7:05 AM, Jennifer Moore - NOAA Federal <
jennifer.moore at noaa.gov> wrote:

> Hello Coral-listers,
> As you have already read, today we made our determination on the petition
> to list 83 corals under the US Endangered Species Act.  I am sure there
> will be lively discussion about this action.  I wanted to reach out to let
> you all know a few things.  We are interested in your comments and
> information that can assist us in this process.  The finding is a proposed
> rule and we have opened a 90-day public comment period to ensure that any
> final action is accurate and effective as possible.  Also, public hearings
> are scheduled for several locations in both the Pacific and Southeast
> Regions.  And we will host a series of webinars on targeted subjects to
> make sure different constituencies are fully engaged.  Information about
> all of these opportunities will be available at
> http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/stories/2012/11/82corals.html
>
> I know there will be many questions about what the proposed listing means,
> especially for research and restoration activities.  So I will outline a
> few points.  First - this is a proposed rule, so nothing changes during the
> year between the proposed rule and the final rule.  Second - the majority
> (54) of the 66 species are being proposed as threatened.  Even if all of
> those species are ultimately listed, none of the ESA prohibitions apply
> unless we make a separate rule to extend the prohibitions.  Meaning
> research and restoration activities proceed as usual.  Third - for the
> species that are proposed as endangered - if they are ultimately listed, an
> ESA Research and Enhancement Permit will be required for anyone conducting
> research or restoration on the species that involves collection, harm,
> injury, or mortality within the waters US.  It is one of our top priorities
> to work with the research, restoration, and permitting communities to
> ensure that this additional permitting process does not impact activities
> that are critical to the recovery of listed species.  We also encourage
> anyone conducting research or restoration on a proposed endangered species
> to contact the NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources to begin the
> permitting process.  General information on the permitting process for
> research and enhancement is located at
> http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/faq_esapermits.htm
>
> One last topic that I'd like to cover is the proposed reclassification of
> Acropora palmata and Acropora cervicornis from threatened to endangered.
> Everything I said above about proposed endangered species applies to the
> two currently-listed acroporids.  If they are ultimately listed as
> endangered, the existing "4(d) rule" that allowed exceptions for research
> and restoration activities will no longer be applicable.  It is my priority
> to ensure that the critical research and restoration activities that are
> assisting recovery continue.
>
> Please contact me or my partners in the Pacific Islands Region - Lance
> Smith (lance.smith at noaa.gov) or Chelsey Young (chelsey.young at noaa.gov) if
> you have any questions.
>
> Thank you all!
>
> --
>
> *Jennifer Moore
> ESA Coral Coordinator | Protected Resources Division
> NOAA Fisheries Service
> 263 13th Ave South
> Saint Petersburg, FL 33701727-551-5797 phone | 727-824-5309
> faxjennifer.moore at noaa.gov
> http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/esa/acropora.htm*
>
> *http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/esa/82CoralSpecies.htm*
> <http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/esa/82CoralSpecies.htm>*
>
> To those who sacrificed careers of adventure in the wide-open spaces
> to wrestle for conservation in the policy arena.*
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>



-- 
Dept. Marine & Wildlife Resources, American Samoan Government
PO Box 7390
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799  USA


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