Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 Cfr Part 224 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-month Finding and Proposed Endangered Listing of Five Species of Sawfish under the Endangered Species Act

We, NMFS, have completed comprehensive status reviews under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of five species of sawfishes in response to a petition to list six sawfish species. In our 90-day finding we determined that Pristis pristis, as described in the petition, was not a valid species and began our status review on the remaining five species (Anoxypristis cuspidata; Pristis clavata; Pristis microdon; Pristis zijsron; and all nonlisted population(s) of Pristis pectinata). During our status review, new scientific information revealed that three previously recognized species (P. microdon, P. pristis, and P. perotteti) were in fact a single species, Pristis pristis. We had previously listed P. perotteti as an endangered species (July 12, 2011). We therefore also considered the information from our 2010 status review of P. perotteti, herein P. pristis. We have determined, based on the best scientific and commercial data available and after taking into account efforts being made to protect the species, that the narrow sawfish (A. cuspidata); dwarf sawfish (P. clavata); largetooth sawfish (collectively P. pristis; formerly P. pristis, P. microdon, and P. perotteti); green sawfish (P. zijsron); and the nonlisted population(s) of smalltooth sawfish P. pectinata meet the definition of an endangered species. We also include a change in the scientific name for largetooth sawfish in this proposed rule to codify the taxonomic reclassification of P. perotteti to P. pristis. We are not proposing to designate critical habitat because the geographical areas occupied by the species are entirely outside U.S. jurisdiction and we have not identified any unoccupied areas that are currently essential to the conservation of any of these species. We are soliciting information that may be relevant to these listing and critical habitat determinations, especially on the status and conservation of these species. DATES: Comments on this proposed rule must be received by August 5, 2013. Public hearing requests must be made by July 19, 2013. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by the following document number, NOAA–NMFS–2011–0073, by any of the following methods: • Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-20110073. click the ‘‘Comment Now’’ icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. • Fax: 727–824–5309; Attn: Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources. Instructions: You must submit comments by one of the above methods to ensure that we receive, document, and consider them. Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period may not be considered. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on http://www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.) confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. We will accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/A’’ in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only. You can obtain the petition, the proposed rule, and the list of references electronically on our NMFS Web site at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pr.htm. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shelley Norton, NMFS, Southeast Regional Office (727) 824–5312 or Dr. Dwayne Meadows, NMFS, Office of Protected Resources (301) 427–8403. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background