Animal Law Digest

Washington House Bill 2286 would establish a capital grant program to help recover salmon and steelhead populations. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) announced it is initiating a 5-year review under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for the Alaska breeding population of Steller’s eider, an Arctic seaduck. FWS will accept information about listed species at any time, but it requests that information to help inform this review be submitted by March 11, 2024.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) is considering multiple Endangered Species Act permit applications to enhance the propagation or survival of multiple species of bats and mussels. FWS will accept public comments on the applications through February 7, 2024.

The Center for Biological Diversity and 12 other organizations petitioned the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to list the Alabama shad and designate critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Petitioners argued that the Alabama shad, whose populations were previously abundant enough to support commercial fisheries, has been extirpated across 90% of its historical range and is no longer found in 60 of the 75 rivers the species once inhabited.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) announced it is initiating 5-year reviews under the Endangered Species Act for the clubshell, northern riffleshell, Chittenango ovate amber snail, Knieskern’s beaked-rush, and Puritan tiger beetle. FWS will accept information about listed species at any time, but it requests that information to help inform this review be submitted by February 7, 2024.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) announced the start of the five-year status review for 13 animal species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). FWS will accept information about listed species at any time, but it requests that information to help inform this review be submitted by March 5, 2024.

Vermont bill H.597 would impose limitations on the sale, possession, collection, and taking of reptiles and amphibians. It also would require authorization before a person could “take, collect, possess, sell, import, or export any wild bird or animal, or parts thereof, dead or alive, for commercial purposes.” The bill further would prohibit the purchase or sale of bear paws and internal organs outside of the open hunting season or the 20 following days. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Environment and Energy.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced the designation of critical habitat for the Nassau grouper, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The rule becomes final on February 1, 2024.

The South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment published the “Draft Aquaculture Development Bill.” The bill would “provide for a dedicated legal framework for management and sustainable development of the aquaculture sector in an integrated manner.” It would cover both freshwater and marine aquaculture and animal health and welfare. The bill is open for public comment.

The Center for Biological Diversity and Turtle Island Restoration Network sued the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The groups allege that NMFS is violating the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by failing to protect endangered leatherback sea turtles from sablefish pot gear off the West Coast of the U.S and also violated the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Administrative Procedure Act.