12-Month Finding on a Petition to List the Smalltail Shark Under the Endangered Species Act

This finding was issued in response to a petition received on October 31, 2022 from the Center for Biological Diversity to list the smalltail shark (Carcharhinus porosus) as an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Under the ESA, if a petition is found to present substantial scientific or commercial information that the petitioned action may be warranted, a status review shall be promptly commenced (16 U.S.C. 1533(b)(3)(A)). On May 23, 2023, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced in the Federal Register that the petition presented substantial information in support of the petitioned action and that a status review would be conducted (88 FR 33075). This status review summarizes the best available scientific and commercial information on the smalltail shark and presents an evaluation of its status and extinction risk. This status review supported the finding that listing of the smalltail shark under the ESA is not warranted.