Findings on Petition to Delist Saint John River Population of Shortnose Sturgeon

We, NOAA Fisheries, announce a 12-month finding on a petition to identify and delist shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) within the Saint John River in New Brunswick, Canada under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The shortnose sturgeon is currently listed as an endangered species, at the species level, under the ESA. Based on our review of the best scientific and commercial data available, we have determined that the population of shortnose sturgeon from the Saint John River does not qualify as a distinct population segment. Therefore, we did not consider the petition further, and we do not propose to delist this population.