NOAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a final rule today
changing the listing of loggerhead sea turtles under the Endangered
Species Act from a single threatened species to nine distinct population
segments listed as either threatened or endangered.
Scientists believe this will help focus their sea turtle conservation
efforts to the specific needs of the distinct populations. NOAA and FWS
share jurisdiction for loggerhead sea turtles listed under the ESA.
“This division of loggerhead sea turtles into nine distinct population
segments will help us focus more on the individual threats turtles face
in different areas,” said Jim Lecky, NOAA Fisheries director of
protected resources. “Wide-ranging species, such as the loggerhead,
benefit from assessing and addressing threats on a regional scale.”
“Both agencies agreed that loggerhead sea turtle conservation benefits
from an approach that recognizes regionally varying threats,” said Cindy
Dohner, FWS southeast regional director. “Today’s listing of separate
distinct population segments will help us better assess, monitor, and
address threats, and evaluate conservation successes, on a regional
scale.”
On March 16, 2010, the agencies proposed to list seven distinct
population segments, also known as DPSs, as endangered and two as
threatened. In the final rule issued today, five were listed as
endangered and four as threatened.
Two of the final statuses, for the Southeast Indo-Pacific Ocean and
Northwest Atlantic Ocean DPSs, were changed from endangered in the
proposal to threatened. Scientists determined that the Southeast
Indo-Pacific Ocean DPS is threatened because the majority of nesting
occurs on protected lands and nesting trends appear to be stable. In
addition, some of the fisheries bycatch effects appear to have been
resolved through requirement of turtle excluder devices in shrimp
trawlers, and longline fishery effort has declined due to fish stock
decreases and economic reasons.
Scientists found that the Northwest Atlantic Ocean DPS is threatened
based on review of nesting data available after the proposed rule was
published, information provided in public comments to the proposed rule,
and further analysis within the agencies. Even so, substantial
conservation efforts are underway to address the threats to these DPSs.
Retaining their proposed status, five DPSs were listed as
endangered--Northeast Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, North Indian
Ocean, North Pacific Ocean and South Pacific Ocean--and two others were
listed as threatened -- South Atlantic Ocean and Southwest Indian
Ocean..
Background
Loggerhead sea turtles were listed as threatened throughout their range
in 1978. In 2008, a biological review team of scientists from NOAA, FWS
and the states of Florida and North Carolina identified nine
biologically discrete and significant DPSs. Since then, NOAA and FWS
have been evaluating threats to and the status of each of the nine DPSs,
to determine if they should be listed as threatened or endangered.
Under the ESA, an “endangered” species is “in danger of extinction
throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” A ”threatened”
species is “likely to become an endangered species within the
foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its
range.”
On July 16, 2007, NOAA and FWS received a petition from the Center for
Biological Diversity (CBD) and Turtle Island Restoration Network
requesting that loggerhead sea turtles in the North Pacific be
reclassified as an endangered DPS, and that critical habitat be
designated. On November 16, 2007, the agencies received a second
petition from CBD and Oceana requesting similar action for Northwest
Atlantic loggerhead sea turtles.
On November 16, 2007, and March 5, 2008, respectively, NOAA and FWS
announced their 90-day findings that the requested actions may be
warranted, and that they would proceed with an assessment of the
loggerhead’s listing. This effort resulted in a formal status review of
the loggerhead turtle in August 2009.
The biological review team, appointed by the agencies, assessed whether
different populations met the criteria for designation as DPSs, looked
at threats to the turtles, and assessed the extinction risks for each
identified DPS. Nine scientists with expertise in loggerhead sea turtle
biology, genetics and modeling independently reviewed the team’s report.
Following this detailed review, and an assessment in accordance with the
statutory requirements of the ESA, the two agencies determined that the
petitioned actions were warranted, and that seven other populations
could also be identified as DPSs and listed separately as threatened or
endangered. In March 2010, the two agencies published a Federal Register
notice that included the 12-month petition findings and a proposed rule
for all nine identified DPSs.
Both agencies solicited public comment on the proposed listing determinations, and received more than 109,000 comments.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency
responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish and wildlife
and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
Visit the service online at http://www.fws.gov or http://www.fws.gov/southeast/
NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's
environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and
to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on
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