Endangered and Threatened Species: 12-Month Findings on a Petition to List the Tope Shark and Proposed Listing of Two Distinct Population Segments of Tope Shark

Defend Them All and the Center for Biological Diversity support the proposed threatened listings for two Tope Shark population segments but argue that the proposal is insufficient for the remaining four segments. They urge the NMFS to list the Northeast Pacific DPS as threatened or endangered and to adopt stronger protective regulations, including a similarity-of-appearance rule for lookalike species.

TerryAnn Towers Saint Amand, a member of the public, supports strong protections for tope sharks and urges NOAA to apply the precautionary principle in its evaluations. The commenter argues that because sharks are slow-growing and vulnerable to multiple stressors, conservation actions should prioritize biodiversity protection over waiting for complete scientific certainty.

An ecologist and marine nature enthusiast supports listing all six subpopulations of the Tope Shark under the Endangered Species Act. They argue that protecting all populations is essential for maintaining diverse gene pools and ensuring the long-term reproductive success and survival of the species.

A graduate student at the University of Washington argues that the agency should list the Northeast Pacific population of tope shark as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The commenter contends that there is insufficient evidence to show the population is increasing and that the lack of baseline data, combined with climate change risks, justifies including this population in the listing.

The Undersecretariat of Aquatic Resources and Fisheries and the National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP) of Argentina oppose the proposed listing of the tope shark (Galeorhinus galeus) as a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. They argue that scientific evidence and research surveys indicate a relatively stable population trend in the Southwestern Atlantic and that existing national and regional management measures are sufficient to ensure the species' conservation.

The commenter supports the proposed action of providing Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection to tope sharks. They argue that because these sharks are highly migratory and do not recognize borders, the government should protect the species across the board rather than distinguishing between specific populations.

An individual is urging the agency to provide urgent protections for Tope Sharks and their distinct population segments. The commenter argues that fishing is cruel and causes unnecessary pain to marine life, emphasizing that these species deserve protection from destruction.