Dan Hull, Chairman
David Witherell, Executive Director
SUBJECT: title
Protected Species Report (including seabird conservation working group update)
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STAFF CONTACT: Steve MacLean (NPFMC)
ACTION REQUIRED: recommended action
Review Protected Species Report, action as necessary
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BACKGROUND:
Short-tailed Albatross
On February 16, 2018, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a Biological Opinion for the Effects of the Pacific Halibut Fisheries in Waters off Alaska on the Endangered Short-tailed Albatross (Phoebastria albatrus). The National Marine Fisheries Service requested reinitiation of formal consultation in September 2017 because of the increased likelihood of observing short-tailed albatross takes in the halibut fisheries, resulting from increased observer coverage beginning in 2013 and the increasing short-tailed albatross population. After review of the current status of the short-tailed albatross, the effects of the proposed action on the short-tailed albatross, and the cumulative effects, the USFWS concluded that the proposed action is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the short-tailed albatross. The USFWS anticipates that no more than one short-tailed albatross could be taken annually in halibut fisheries off Alaska, but to allow for inter-annual variability, the Agency authorized up to two takes in a floating two-year period (January 1-December 31).
Also during this meeting, AnneMarie Eich (NMFS AKR) and Elizabeth Labunski (USFWS) will present the first annual update from the NOAA Short-tailed albatross and seabird working group established as a result of the 2015 short-tailed albatross BiOp for BSAI and GOA groundfish fisheries.
Sea otters
The State of Alaska is seeking changes to the Marine Mammal Protection Act to allow the State, tribal, and local managers authority to manage sea otters in Southeast Alaska. Sea otters are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildli...
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