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

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.

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.