The Center for Biological Diversity announced on January 25th that it intends to sue the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service for its failure to protect 82 coral species under the Endangered Species Act. All 82 corals occur in waters surrounding the US and US territories, and the CBD states “the government has failed to meet its deadline to determine whether listing is warranted and propose rules to protect these beleaguered corals.” The deadline being referred to is a one year response time to the initial petition as required by the Endangered Species Act.
The announcement is merely a 60-day notice that the CBD intends to sue, and is not actually a lawsuit itself. To view the official press release, please visit: Lawsuit Seeks Protections for 82 Corals Facing Extinction
Thanks to Eric of Glassbox-Design for sharing this with the aquarium community.