12-Month Finding on a Petition to List the Ribbon Seal
Summary
NOAA Fisheries announces a 12-month finding on a petition to list the ribbon seal (Histriophoca fasciata) as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 as amended (ESA). After a formal review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing of the ribbon seal is not warranted at this time. Although the ribbon seal population abundance is likely to decline gradually for the foreseeable future, it is not in danger of extinction or likely to become an endangered species during that time throughout all or a significant portion of its range. The cause of likely gradual population abundance decline is primarily slight but chronic impacts on reproduction and survival caused by reduced frequency of years with sea ice of suitable extent, quality, and duration of persistence.