NMFS extended the region-wide moratorium on the harvest of gold corals in the U.S. Pacific Islands through June 30, 2028, in order to prevent overfishing and to stimulate research on gold corals. 

NMFS issued a rule under the Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibiting the take of humpback whales within 200 nautical miles of the islands of Hawaii. 

FWS proposed to list the coal darter as a threatened species under the ESA, with a rule issued under §4(d) of the Act to provide for the conservation of the species. 

FWS announced findings that the following 10 species are not warranted for listing as endangered or threatened under the ESA: Hupp’s Hill cave beetle, Hubbard’s cave beetle, overlooked cave beetle, Shenandoah cave beetle, Little Kennedy cave beetle, Holsinger’s cave beetle, Hubricht’s cave beetle, silken cave beetle, Pinaleño talussnail, and San Xavier talussnail. 

FWS proposed to list the West Virginia spring salamander as an endangered species and to designate critical habitat under the ESA.

NMFS announced a 90-day finding on a petition to list spring-run Chinook salmon on the Washington Coast as endangered or threatened under the ESA, and to designate critical habitat for the species. 

FWS proposed to list the northern distinct population segment (DPS) and the southern DPS of the western spadefoot as threatened DPSs under the ESA, with a rule issued under §4(d) of the Act.  

FWS seeks comment on applications to conduct certain activities with foreign species that are listed as endangered under the ESA.

FWS determined threatened species status under the ESA for the distinct population segment of the North American wolverine occurring in the contiguous United States, and issued a §4(d) rule that provides the prohibitions, and exceptions to those prohibitions, necessary and advisable for the conservation of the species.

NMFS withdrew its November 27, 2020, proposed rule to designate 17 island units of critical habitat in the Pacific Islands Region for seven Indo-Pacific coral species listed under the ESA, and proposed a new rule to designate critical habitat for five of the seven coral species that were addressed in the 2020 proposed rule.