Endangered and Threatened Species; Notice of Initiation of a 5-Year Review of the Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle

AGENCY:

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce, and Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of initiation of 5-year review; request for information.

SUMMARY:

NMFS and USFWS announce the initiation of a 5-year review for the Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii). We are required by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to conduct 5-year reviews to ensure that the species' listing status remains accurate. The 5-year review must be based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review. We request submission of any such information on the Kemp's ridley, particularly information on the status, threats, and recovery of the species that has become available since the last 5-year review was published in July of 2015.

DATES:

To allow us adequate time to conduct this review, we must receive your information no later than August 30, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit information on this document, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2021-0063, by the following method:

• Electronic Submission: Submit electronic information via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov and enter NOAA-NMFS-2021-0063 in the Search box. Click on the “Comment” icon and complete the required fields. Enter or attach your comments.

Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the specified period, may not be considered. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive or protected information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous submissions (enter “N/A” in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jennifer Schultz, by phone at (301) 427-8443 or Jennifer.Schultz@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This notice announces our 5-year review of the Kemp's ridley, which is listed as an endangered species under the ESA. Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the ESA requires us to conduct a review of listed species at least once every 5 years. On the basis of that review, we are required to determine whether a listed species should be removed from the list (i.e., delisted) or reclassified from endangered to threatened or from threatened to endangered (16 U.S.C. 1533(c)(2)(B)). The regulations in 50 CFR 424.21 require that we publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing species under active review.

Background information on the species is available on the NMFS website at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/kemps-ridley-turtle.

Public Solicitation of New Information

To ensure that the review is complete and based on the best available scientific and commercial information, we are soliciting new information from the public, governmental agencies, Tribes, the scientific community, industry, environmental entities, and any other interested parties concerning the status of the species. Categories of requested information include: (1) Species biology including, but not limited to, population trends, distribution, abundance, demographics, and genetics; (2) habitat conditions including, but not limited to, amount, distribution, and important features for conservation; (3) status and trends of threats to the species and its habitats; (4) conservation measures that have been implemented that benefit the species, including monitoring data demonstrating effectiveness of such measures; (5) need for additional conservation measures; and (6) other new information, data, or corrections including, but not limited to, taxonomic or nomenclatural changes and improved analytical methods for evaluating extinction risk.

If you wish to provide information for the review, you may submit your information and materials electronically (see ADDRESSES section). We request that all information be accompanied by supporting documentation such as maps, bibliographic references, or reprints of pertinent publications.

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