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Black Teatfish Listing Petition Before the Secretary of Commerce Petition to List the Black Teatfish, Holothuria nobilis, under the U.S. Endangered Species Act Photo Credit: © Philippe Bourjon (with permission) Center for Biological Diversity 14 May 2020 Notice of Petition Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Commerce U.S. Department of Commerce 1401 Constitution Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20230 Email: [email protected], [email protected] Dr. Neil Jacobs, Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere U.S. Department of Commerce 1401 Constitution Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20230 Email: [email protected] Petitioner: Kristin Carden, Oceans Program Scientist Sarah Uhlemann, Senior Att’y & Int’l Program Director Center for Biological Diversity Center for Biological Diversity 1212 Broadway #800 2400 NW 80th Street, #146 Oakland, CA 94612 Seattle, WA 98117 Phone: (510) 844‐7100 x327 Phone: (206) 324‐2344 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] The Center for Biological Diversity (Center, Petitioner) submits to the Secretary of Commerce and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) a petition to list the black teatfish, Holothuria nobilis, as threatened or endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq. Alternatively, the Service should list the black teatfish as threatened or endangered throughout a significant portion of its range. This species is found exclusively in foreign waters, thus 30‐days’ notice to affected U.S. states and/or territories was not required. The Center is a non‐profit, public interest environmental organization dedicated to the protection of native species and their habitats. The Center has more than 1.7 million members and online activists worldwide. The Center and its members seek to conserve imperiled species like the black teatfish through science, policy, and effective implementation of the ESA. NMFS has jurisdiction over this Petition. This petition sets in motion a specific process requiring NMFS to make an initial finding as to whether the Petition “presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted.” (16 U.S.C. § 1533(b)(3)(A).) NMFS must make this initial finding “[t]o the maximum extent practicable, within 90 days after receiving the petition.” (Id.) Petitioner need not demonstrate that the listing is warranted, but rather present information demonstrating that such action may be warranted. The Center believes the best available scientific information demonstrates that listing the black teatfish as threatened or endangered throughout all or a significant portion of its range is warranted, and the available information clearly indicates that listing the species may be warranted. As such, NMFS must promptly make a positive finding on the Petition and commence a status review as required by 16 U.S.C. § 1533(b)(3)(B). Respectfully submitted this 14th day of May, 2020. ii Table of Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 1 PART I. SPECIES ACCOUNT ........................................................................................................................... 2 1. INTRODUCTION AND SPECIES DESCRIPTION .................................................................................... 2 A. Taxonomy ..................................................................................................................................... 2 B. Physiology, Morphology and Behavior ........................................................................................ 4 2. DISTRIBUTION: GEOGRAPHIC AND BIOLOGICAL SETTING ................................................................ 9 3. ABUNDANCE AND POPULATION TRENDS ....................................................................................... 10 4. HABITAT USE ................................................................................................................................... 11 5. DIET AND FEEDING ECOLOGY ......................................................................................................... 11 6. CAUSES OF MORTALITY ................................................................................................................... 13 A. Natural Causes ............................................................................................................................ 13 B. Anthropogenic Causes ................................................................................................................ 13 7. CONSERVATION STATUS ................................................................................................................. 17 PART II. THE BLACK TEATFISH IS A LISTABLE ENTITY UNDER THE ESA ..................................................... 17 PART III. THE BLACK TEATFISH QUALIFIES AS THREATENED OR ENDANGERED UNDER THE ESA ............ 17 1. THE PRESENT OR THREATENED DESTRUCTION, MODIFICATION, OR CURTAILMENT OF THE BLACK TEATFISH’S HABITAT OR RANGE ............................................................................................................. 18 A. Coral reefs ................................................................................................................................... 18 B. Seagrass Beds ............................................................................................................................. 22 2. OVERUTILIZATION FOR COMMERCIAL, RECREATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, OR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..25 3. DISEASE OR PREDATION ................................................................................................................. 39 A. Disease ........................................................................................................................................ 39 B. Predation .................................................................................................................................... 39 4. INADEQUACY OF EXISTING REGULATORY MECHANISMS ............................................................... 39 A. Inadequate Regulatory Mechanisms Addressing Trade Threaten the Black Teatfish with Extinction ............................................................................................................................................ 39 B. Inadequate Regulatory Mechanisms Addressing Fishing Threaten the Black Teatfish with Extinction ............................................................................................................................................ 40 C. Inadequate Regulatory Mechanisms Addressing Climate Change Threaten the Black Teatfish with Extinction ................................................................................................................................... 42 i. International Climate Change Agreements Are Insufficient to Protect the Black Teatfish from Extinction ........................................................................................................................................ 43 ii. National Climate Change Law Is Insufficient to Protect the Black Teatfish ............................ 44 iii 5. OTHER NATURAL OR MANMADE FACTORS AFFECTING THE BLACK TEATFISH’S CONTINUED EXISTENCE ............................................................................................................................................... 44 A. Lack of Basic Biological & Ecological Information ..................................................................... 44 B. Risks of Rarity ............................................................................................................................. 45 C. Bycatch ........................................................................................................................................ 45 6. SUMMARY OF FACTORS .................................................................................................................. 45 PART IV. 4(d) RULE ..................................................................................................................................... 46 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................................. 46 LITERATURE CITED ...................................................................................................................................... 48 iv Executive Summary In the shallow, nearshore waters of the tropical Indian Ocean lives a species both relatively unknown and highly prized: the black teatfish, Holothuria nobilis. One of approximately 1700 extant sea cucumber species, the black teatfish until recently went unrecognized both by the general public and many ecologists. But when the dried sea cucumber (bêche‐de‐mer) market exploded alongside rising prosperity in China in the late 1980s and early 1990s, overfishing of this species led to decimation and local extirpations across its range. Scientists estimate the black teatfish has declined by 60‐70% across 80% of the species’ range, and its global population continues to decrease. Overfishing to supply the growing luxury seafood market in Asia poses the primary threat to black teatfish. Because they live in shallow water habitats and are large and slow moving, black teatfish make easy targets for capture. The species remains at high
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