Application of Science in U.S. Sea Turtle Management

1. Application of Science in U.S. Sea Turtle Management Christina Fahy and Irene Kelly National Marine Fisheries Service, Pacific Sea Turtle Recovery Coordinators

2. Sea Turtle Protections • All sea turtles in the U.S. are protected underthe Endangered Species Act (1973): • …“ to provide a means whereby the ecosystems upon which endangered and threatened species depend may be conserved, andto 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

3. 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 speciesand (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)

4. “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

5. Leatherback turtle (Dermochelyscoriacea) globally listed as endangered Sea Turtles of the U.S. Pacific EEZ North Pacific Loggerhead turtle Carettacaretta One of 9 “distinct population segments”, NP DPA listed as endangered in 2011 Olive ridleyturtle Lepidochelysolivacea Globally listed as threatened except Pacific Mexico breeding population, listed as endangered

6. Sea Turtles of the U.S. Pacific EEZ Green turtle (Cheloniamydas) globally listed as threatened except for the Pacific Mexican breeding population and Florida breeding population (endangered) Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelysimbricata) globally listed as endangered

7. 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

8. Relationship Between Research and Management Programs • Animportant role of NMFSScience Center(s) is to undertake research necessary to inform management decisions

9. 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

10. 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

11. Model of Assessment Framework for Jeopardy Analyses Step 4 -- Assess the Species’ Exposure Step 1 -- Identify the Action Step 2 -- Deconstruct the Action Step 5 -- Assess the Species’ Response Step 3 -- Identify the Action Area Step 6 -- Assess the Risk to Individuals Step 7 -- Assess the Risk to Populations Task A -- Establish Environmental Baseline Step 8 -- Assess the Risk to Species Task B -- Diagnose the Species’ Status Step 9 -- “jeopardy/no jeopardy” ?

12. Case#1California drift gillnet fishery management Broadbill swordfish

13. Leatherback interactions observed in the CA/OR drift gillnet fishery:1990-2001

15. Origin of leatherbacks captured in CA/OR DGN

16. Leatherback Genetic Stocks - Pacific (Dutton et al. 1999, 2007) Eastern Pacific Western Pacific Malaysia

17. 1981-2003 Estimated Number of Female Leatherbacks, JamursbaMedi, Papua, Indonesia

18. Sea Turtle Conservation Areas Leatherback Closure Aug 15 - Nov 15 Loggerhead Closure June 1 – Aug 31 (El Nino Yrs Only)

20. Drift Gillnet Landings 1994-2006

21. 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

22. Data used to consider critical habitat for leatherbacks: • Bycatch • Ship-board sightings • Shelf observations • Telemetry positions

23. 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]

24. 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)

25. Leatherback Critical Foraging Habitat Designation • 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. (Benson et al., 2007; Dutton et al., 1999 and 2007; Shillinger et al., 2008)

26. Case # 2Hawaii Longline Fishery Management

28. Research methods to reduce sea turtle interactions in longline gear Hook type and size Bait

29. Research in North Atlantic (US): hook type and bait D. coriacea C. caretta

30. 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

31. 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)

32. Product: TurtleWatchA science-based management tool to reduce North Pacific loggerhead turtle interactions (Howell et al. 2008) http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/eod/turtlewatch.php

33. 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

34. NOAA responsible viewing guidelines for the public Encourage the public to Enjoy Turtles from a Distance.

35. 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

36. Thank you!