May 10, 2017 — The Trump administration is adding new shark species to the Endangered Species List.
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) said Tuesday it will add daggernose sharks, striped smooth-hound sharks, spiny angel sharks and Argentine angel sharks to the list.
The NMFS is also moving to list Brazilian guitarfish as endangered species, while the narrownose smooth-hound shark will be listed as a threatened species, according to the agency.
Though the NMFS is moving to protect these sharks and guitarfish, the agency cannot designate a critical habitat, which would serve as somewhat of a “safe zone,” because the endangered and threatened populations of these species live outside of U.S. jurisdiction.
The shark and guitarfish protections stem from a 2013 petition from WildEarth Guardians. Two years later, the Obama administration proposed to add these species to the Endangered Species List.