application of science in u.s. sea turtle management christina fahy and irene kelly national marine...
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Application of Science in U.S. Sea Turtle Management
Christina Fahy and Irene Kelly
National Marine Fisheries Service,
Pacific Sea Turtle Recovery Coordinators
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Sea Turtle Protections
• All sea turtles in the U.S. are protected under the Endangered Species Act (1973):
…“ to provide a means whereby the ecosystems upon which endangered and threatened species depend may be conserved, and to provide a program for the conservation of such species…”
Illegal to: harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct
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Endangered Species “List” and Critical Habitat (ESA)
Endangered – any species in danger of extinction
Threatened – any species likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future
Critical Habitat“the specific areas on which are found those physical or
biological features (I) essential to the conservation of the species and (II) which may require special management considerations or protection”
Critical habitat should be considered at the time of ESA listing or within a year (or when petitioned by the public)
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“Recovery” = de-List the species
Recovery criteria (e.g. Pacific Leatherback Recovery Plan)
All stocks using U.S. waters have been identified to nesting (“source”) beaches
Each stock must average 5,000 females nesting annually
Nesting populations at “source beaches” are stable or increasing over 25 years
Foraging areas are maintained as healthy environments
Priority #1 tasks have all been implemented
Website: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/recovery/plans.htm
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Sea Turtles of the U.S. Pacific EEZ
Leatherback turtle
(Dermochelys coriacea)
globally listed as endangered
North Pacific Loggerhead turtle
Caretta caretta
One of 9 “distinct population segments”, NP DPA listed as endangered in 2011
Olive ridley turtle
Lepidochelys olivacea
Globally listed as threatened except Pacific Mexico breeding population, listed as endangered
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Sea Turtles of the U.S. Pacific EEZ
Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) globally listed as threatened except for the Pacific Mexican breeding population and Florida breeding population (endangered)
Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)globally listed as endangered
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NMFS Protected Resources Program
Core Marine Turtle Management Activities• Implement the Endangered Species Act
• Listing and Recovery• Cooperation with the States• Interagency Cooperation (consultations and biological opinions)• Int’l cooperation (e.g. CITES)• Permits
• Implement priority activities of the
U.S. Sea Turtle Recovery Plans
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Relationship Between Research and Management Programs
An important role of NMFS Science Center(s) is to undertake research necessary to inform management decisions
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Research Data Applied to Management
Examples of applied research include: • Fisheries bycatch reduction technology applied to
fishery management • Oceanographic and satellite telemetry data to identify
important migratory and foraging habitats for fishery management
• Genetic and tagging studies for stock structure assessment to direct fishery and regional management activities
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Interagency consultation (ESA requirement)
Requires federal agencies to ensure their activities are not likely to “jeopardize the continued existence of” any listed species or result in the destruction or modification of designated critical habitat
Jeopardize the continued existence of – reduce appreciatively the likelihood of both the survival and recovery of a species by reducing their reproduction, numbers or distribution
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Model of Assessment Framework for Jeopardy Analyses
Step 1 -- Identify the Action
Step 7 -- Assess the Risk to Populations
Step 8 -- Assess the Risk to Species
Step 9 -- “jeopardy/no jeopardy” ?
Task A -- Establish Environmental Baseline
Step 6 -- Assess the Risk to IndividualsStep 3 -- Identify the Action Area
Step 2 -- Deconstruct the Action
Step 4 -- Assess the Species’ Exposure
Step 5 -- Assess the Species’ Response
Task B -- Diagnose the Species’ Status
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Case#1California drift gillnet fishery
management
Broadbill swordfish
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Leatherback interactions observed in the CA/OR drift gillnet fishery: 1990-2001
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Origin of leatherbacks captured in CA/OR DGN
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Eastern Pacific
Western Pacific
Malaysia
Leatherback Genetic Stocks - Pacific(Dutton et al. 1999, 2007)
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0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
350019
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1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
Estim
ated
fem
ales High
Low
1981-2003
Estimated Number of Female Leatherbacks, Jamursba Medi, Papua, Indonesia
Sea Turtle Conservation Areas
Leatherback Closure
Aug 15 - Nov 15
Loggerhead Closure
June 1 – Aug 31
(El Nino Yrs Only)
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Drift Gillnet Landings 1994-2006
DGN Effort and Landings
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
1994 1999 2004
Year
Nu
mb
er
of
Ve
ss
els
, La
nd
ing
s(1
0m
t), E
x-
ve
ss
el R
ev
en
ue
($
10
0,0
00
)
# of vessels
landings by 10mt
Ex-vessel revenue$100,000
year vesselsLandings
(mt) Ex-vessel revenue
1994 151 762 4,536,655
1995 134 701 4,190,568
1996 132 734 3,919,232
1997 121 664 3,166,095
1998 113 906 3,967,255
1999 97 597 2,785,199
2000 91 635 2,747,621
2001 82 351 1,541,152
2002 63 298 1,499,163
2003 54 198 1,025,092
2004 45 182 944,391
2005 45 220 1,184,545
2006 44 442 1,990,574
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Pacific Fishery Management Council
March 2012 meeting
Recommended to NMFS:• Consider limited re-opening of current closed area
• 2 weeks earlier• redrawing exclusion boundaries
• Consider establishment of hard caps for sea turtles in drift gillnet fishery
• Deadline: March 2013
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Data used to consider critical habitat for leatherbacks:• Bycatch• Ship-board sightings• Shelf observations• Telemetry positions
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Area Restricted Search (red) v.
Transiting (black dots)
Leatherbacks (n=40 turtles) engaged in ARS behavior 21% of the time in the California Current Ecosystem
ARS behavior occurred in cool habitats, shallow, with high CHL, low energy areas
[Benson et al. 2011]
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Petition to list Leatherback Critical Habitat off the U.S. west coast - 2007
• NMFS determined that “critical habitat” (physical and biological features that make U.S. west coast important habitat for leatherbacks and essential for conservation) include:
• Prey – [jellyfish] of sufficient condition, density, distribution, diversity and abundance
Brown sea nettles (137 kg/day) Moon jellies (275 kg/day)
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Leatherback Critical Foraging Habitat Designation
(Benson et al., 2007; Dutton et al., 1999 and 2007; Shillinger et al., 2008)
• NOAA final rule - Jan 2012
• 41,914 square miles from surface to 80 m depth
• Primary constituent elements essential for leatherback conservation
Prey abundance, quality, quantity, and density
• Activities to manage threats to prey? Entrainment, desalination, coastal runoff (pesticides), etc.
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Case # 2Hawaii Longline Fishery Management
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Research methods to reduce sea turtle interactions in longline gear
Bait Hook type and size
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Research in North Atlantic (US): hook type and bait
C. caretta D. coriacea
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Conservation Measures to Reduce Sea Turtle Interactions in U.S. Pacific Longline Fisheries
Since 2004, U.S. commercial longline fisheries targeting swordfish (shallow-set) operate under strict regulations:
• *gear requirements (circle hooks & fish bait);• safe handling requirements (dipnets, de-hooking);• mandatory observer coverage (100%); and• turtle interaction limits (“caps”)
Safe handling & dehooking Fish bait
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Hawaii shallow-set longline fishery:Switching from J hooks/squid bait to large circle hook/mackerel bait reduced pelagic longline fishery interactions with sea turtles by 90% (Gilman et al. 2007).
(WPRFMC 2008)
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Product: TurtleWatch A science-based management tool to reduce North Pacific loggerhead turtle interactions
(Howell et al. 2008)
http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/eod/turtlewatch.php
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U.S. Sea Turtle Management Activities
Ongoing activities are focused to reduce impacts from:
• Nearshore/offshore fishery interactions • Boat strikes• Power plant entrainment• Disease (fibropapilomatosis) • Land use & waste-water• Coastal development • Tourism and public disturbance • Illegal harvest
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NOAA responsible viewing guidelines for the public
Encourage the public to Enjoy Turtles from a Distance.
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Ongoing International Fishery Management Activities
• Promoting sea turtle conservation in the Regional Fishery Management Organizations (WCPFC, IATTC, ICCAT, IOTC)
• Leading U.S. engagement in international agreements for sea turtles (IOSEA, IAC, SPREP)
• Continuing Bilateral and Regional bycatch reduction work (circle hooks, TEDs, gillnets, pound nets)
• Continuing to build capacity, encouraging observer programs, and promoting scientific exchange
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Thank you!