Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
We, NMFS, are issuing a final determination to list the Gulf of Maine (GOM) Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the New York Bight (NYB) and Chesapeake Bay (CB) DPSs of Atlantic sturgeon as endangered species under the ESA. We have proposed protective regulations for the GOM DPS in accordance with ESA section 4(d) in a separate rulemaking published in the Federal Register on June 10, 2011. We are currently considering the available information in order to designate critical habitat. With this rule, we are also soliciting information that may be relevant to the designation of critical habitat for all three DPSs in the Northeast Region. Details of our analyses, their outcome, and a request for public comment on our proposed critical habitat designations will be published in subsequent Federal Register documents.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Parts 223 and 224 RIN 0648-XJ00 [Docket No. 100903414-1762-02] AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: We, NMFS, are issuing a final determination to list the Gulf of Maine (GOM) Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of Atlantic sturgeon ( Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus ) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the New York Bight (NYB) and Chesapeake Bay (CB) DPSs of Atlantic sturgeon as endangered species under the ESA. We have proposed protective regulations for the GOM DPS in accordance with ESA section 4(d) in a separate rulemaking published in the Federal Register on June 10, 2011. We are currently considering the available information in order to designate critical habitat. With this rule, we are also soliciting information that may be relevant to the designation of critical habitat for all three DPSs in the Northeast Region. Details of our analyses, their outcome, and a request for public comment on our proposed critical habitat designations will be published in subsequent Federal Register documents. DATES: This final rule is effective on April 6, 2012. ADDRESSES: Information concerning this final rule may be obtained by contacting NMFS, Protected Resources Division, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. The final rule, list of references and other materia…
Citation: 77 FR 5880
