Advocacy Group Sues NMFS for Failing to Finalize Protections for ESA-Listed Corals

The Center for Biological Diversity sued the National Marine Fisheries Service in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for failing to finalize protections for a dozen coral species around Florida and islands in the Pacific Ocean. Pillar coral, mountainous star coral and the others all were listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2014 but have not received the critical habitat designation the ESA requires. Plaintiff is seeking declaratory judgment and injunctive relief.