90-Day Finding on a Petition To List 10 Species of Skates and Rays and 15 Species of Bony Fishes as Threatened or Endangered Under the Endangered Species Act

We (NOAA Fisheries) announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list 10 species of skates and rays and 15 species of bony fishes as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We find that the petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted for five species of skates and rays: Dasyatis margarita, Electrolux addisoni, Okamejei pita, Pastinachus solocirostris, and Trygonorrhina melaleuca. We find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted for five species of skates and rays: Bathyraja griseocauda, Raja undulata, Rhinobatos cemiculus, R. horkelii, and R. rhinobatos. We also find that the petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted for ten species of bony fishes: Argyrosomus hololepidotus, Azurina eupalama, Chaetodontoplus vanderloosi, Colpichthys hubbsi, Enneapterygius namarrgon, Halichoeres socialis, Paraclinus magdalenae, Paraclinus walkeri, Paralabrax albomaculatus, and Tomicodon abuelorum. And we find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted for five species of bony fishes: Latimeria chalumnae, Mycteroperca fusca, Mycteroperca jordani, Pterapogon kauderni, and Scarus trispinosus. Therefore, we will conduct a status review of the 10 species of skates and rays and bony fishes to determine if the petitioned action is warranted. To ensure that the status review is comprehensive, we are soliciting scientific and commercial information pertaining to these petitioned species from any interested party. In addition to the petitions to list these species, the petitioner has requested that we list the coelacanth Latimeria menadoensis based on similarity of appearance to Latimeria chalumnae. If we determine that L. chalumnae warrants listing under the ESA, we will make a determination on the petitioner's request to list L. menadoensis based on similarity of appearance at a later date.