The following was copied from a press release from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS):


NMFS Announces Initiation of a Status Review Under the Endangered Species Act for the Atlantic White Marlin

NMFS Highly Migratory Species Management Division wishes to inform you of a recent announcement by the NMFS Office of Protected Resources (NMFS PR) of initiation of an Endangerd Species Act status review for Atlantic white marlin (71 FR 76639; December 21, 2006). NMFS solicits information on the staus of and threats to the species.

NMFS PR conducted a status review of Atlantic white marlin in 2002 under the Endangered Species Act and published a 12-month determiniation that listing was not warranted (67 FR 57204; September 9, 2002). As a result of subsequent litigation and a settlement agreement with the Center for Biological Diversity, NMFS agreed to initiate a status review following the 2006 stock assessment by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT); the 2006 ICCAT white marlin stock assessment can be found at www.iccat.int. This new status review for Atlantic white marlin is commenced and information regarding the status of and threats to the species is requested pursant to the terms of the settlement agreement.

To support this status review, NMFS PR is soliciting information relevant to the status of and threats to the species, including, but not limited to, information on the following topics: (1) historical and current abundance and distribution of the species and congeners throughout the species range; (2) potential factors for the species' decline throughout the spcies range; (3) rates of capture and release of the species from both recreational and commercial fisheries; (4) post-release mortality; (5) life history information (size/age at maturity, growth rates, fecundity, reporductive rate/success, etc.); (6) morphilogical and molecular information to assist in determining taxonomy of this species and congeners; (7) threats to the species, particularly: (a) present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of habitat or range; (b) over-utilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes; (c) disease or predation; (d) inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms, or (e) other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued existence; and (8) any ongoing conservation efforts for the species.

Information regarding the status of and threats to Atlantic white marlin must be received by February 20, 2007. Information on Atlantic white marlin may be submitted by any one of the following methods:

-- Fax: 727-824-5309, Attention Dr. Stephania Bolden
-- Mail: Information on paper, disk or CD-ROM should be addressed to the Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, NMFS Southeast Regional Office (SERO), 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
--E-mail: whitemarlin.info@noaa.gov
Please include in the subject line the following identifier: white marlin review

For further information, please contact Dr. Stephania Bolden, NMFS SERO, 727-824-5312

Date: Feb. 8, 2007

Signed: Alan Risenhoover, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries