[Coral-List] Initiation of 5-year status review for 7 Caribbean reef-building corals

[Alison Moulding]

The NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service announces initiation of a 5-year status review of staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis), elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata), pillar coral (Dendrogyra cylindrus), rough cactus coral (Mycetophyllia ferox), lobed star coral (Orbicella annularis), mountainous star coral (Orbicella faveolata), and boulder star coral (Orbicella franksi) under the US Endangered Species Act of 1973. A 5-year status review is 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 seven coral species that has become available since 2014. Comments are due by March 8, 2021.

Link to the Federal Register Notice:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/07/2021-00032/endangered-and-threatened-species-initiation-of-a-5-year-review-of-staghorn-coral-elkhorn-coral

Link to submit a comment or information (note the link in the Federal Register notice is not working properly; use this one instead):
https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=NOAA-NMFS-2020-0147

For more information, contact alison.moulding at noaa.gov.