MEDIA ADVISORY
Following a 2021 petition to list the sunflower sea star under the Endangered Species Act, NOAA Fisheries has completed a draft status review of the species. Scientists from the review team will discuss their findings and next steps during a teleconference briefing for media partners. The sunflower sea star, Pycnopodia helianthoides, measures up to 3 feet across, making it the second largest sea star in the world. The species has declined in the last decade in association with sea star wasting syndrome, likely worsened by warmer ocean conditions.
This teleconference is for news media only.
NOAA Fisheries Weighs Protection for Sunflower Sea Star Native to West Coast
Listing Species Under the Endangered Species Act
Sunflower Sea Star Photos, Infographics, and Videos for Media