Status review report: thorny skate (Amblyraja radiata)

This status review report was conducted in response to a petition to list either the United States or North Atlantic populations of thorny skate (Amblyraja radiata) as Distinct Population Segments (DPSs) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (petitioners: Animal Welfare Institute and Defenders of Wildlife, May 28, 2015). We evaluated the petitions to determine whether the petitioners provided substantial information as required by the ESA to list a species. Additionally, we evaluated whether information contained in the petitions might support the identification of a DPS that may warrant listing as a species under the ESA. We determined that the petitions presented substantial scientific and commercial information, or cited such information in other sources, that the petitioned action may be warranted and, subsequently, initiated a status review of thorny skate. This status review report is comprised of two components: (1) the “Status Review” of the species, a document that compiles the best available information on the status of thorny skate as required by the ESA, and (2) the “Assessment of Extinction Risk” for the species, a document that provides the methods and conclusions of the NMFS Extinction Risk Analysis (ERA) on the current and future extinction risk of thorny skate. 2017 NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) Submitted Public Domain 1862