Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Endangered and Threatened Wildlife; 90-day Finding on a Petition to List the Whale Shark as Threatened or Endangered under the Endangered Species Act Background

• Identifying strategic early investments to assist the integration and synthesis of science priorities and to address known priority gaps; • Conducting competitive processes for issuing awards for addressing the science needs; • Continuing refinement of Science plan in coordination with partners through the life of the Program. NOAA anticipates being able to issue a focused Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO)sometime in Fall/Winter, 2013, contingent upon the regulations governing the Trust Fund being finalized. The FFO will be targeted towards focused areas of investment derived from reviews of existing plans and engagement efforts with Gulf stakeholders being conducted this summer. This FFO will be announced through the Federal Register and grants.gov. Future FFOs will be announced on grants.gov.