We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), list the Florida Keys mole skink (Plestiodon egregius egregius), a lizard subspecies from the Florida Keys, Florida, as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. This rule extends the protections of the Act to this species.
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS or the Service), revise our regulations concerning protections of threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (Act). We are removing the "blanket rule" option for protecting newly listed threatened species pursuant to section 4(d) of the Act.
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS or the Service), amend portions of our regulations for section 4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act or ESA). Specifically, we revise regulations related to section 4(b)(2) of the Act. Section 4(b)(2) requires consideration of the economic impact, the impact on national security, and any other relevant impact of designating any particular area as critical habitat and authorizes the exclusion of areas from critical habitat if the benefits of excluding the area outweigh the benefits of designating it as critical habitat. These revisions articulate when and how we determine whether the benefits of excluding an area outweigh the benefits of designating the area as critical habitat (exclusion analysis). This rule reflects the Service's experience and existing case law. The intended effect of this rule is to provide greater transparency and certainty for the public and stakeholders regarding the 4(b)(2) exclusion process.
NMFS closes the Harpoon category fishery for large medium and giant (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 centimeters (cm)) curved fork length (CFL) or greater) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the 2026 fishing year. This closure applies to Atlantic Tunas Harpoon category permitted vessels.
NMFS, upon request from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), is promulgating regulations to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to fisheries research in the coastal bays of Texas over the course of 5 years. These regulations, which allow for the issuance of a Letter of Authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the specified activities in the specified geographical region during the effective dates of the regulations, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, as well as requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.
NMFS announces an inseason action for the 2026 Pacific halibut non-Tribal directed commercial fishery in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A. This action adds a fishing period, July 21 through July 23, 2026, with a fishing period catch limit of 5,000 pounds (lb) (2.27 metric tons (mt)) per vessel, dressed weight. This action is intended to provide additional opportunity for the fleet to achieve the 2026 non-Tribal directed commercial fishery allocation.
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are reclassifying the Hawaiian stilt (kukuluae[revaps]o or ae[revaps]o, Himantopus mexicanus knudseni; a subspecies of the black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)) from endangered to threatened (downlist) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This action is based on our evaluation of the best scientific and commercial data available, which indicates that the subspecies' status has improved such that it is not in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range, but that it is still likely to become so within the foreseeable future. We also finalize protective regulations under the authority of section 4(d) of the Act that are necessary and advisable to provide for the conservation of the Hawaiian stilt. We recognize the Hawaiian names kukuluae[revaps]o and ae[revaps]o as additional common names.
Canada and Quebec’s fish and seafood sector is evolving rapidly and must be able to adapt to changing market, environmental and technological realities.
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) submitted amendment 129 to the Fishery Management Plans for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP) and amendment 58 to the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs (Crab FMP) to the Secretary of Commerce for review. If approved, amendments 129 and 58 would remove requirements for fishery participants to submit Economic Data Reports (EDRs) each year, reducing cost recovery fees and eliminating redundant reporting requirements. Amendments 129 and 58 are intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the BSAI FMP, the Crab FMP, and other applicable laws.
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are reclassifying the razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) from endangered to threatened (downlist) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This action is based on our evaluation of the best scientific and commercial data available, which indicates that the species' status has improved such that it is not currently in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range, but that it is still likely to become so within the foreseeable future. We also finalize protective regulations under the authority of section 4(d) of the Act that are necessary and advisable to provide for the conservation of this species.