5-Year Review of the Ringed Seal, Saimaa Subspecies (Pusa hispida saimensis)

During a 5-year review, we determine whether a species should be removed from the list (i.e., delisted), reclassified from an endangered species to a threatened species (i.e., downlisted), or reclassified from a threatened species to an endangered species (i.e., uplisted; 16 U.S.C. 1533(c)(2)). Section 4(b)(1)(A) of the ESA requires us to make the determination based solely on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review and after taking into account efforts to protect the species (16 U.S.C. 1533(b)(1)(A)).