Subject: NMFS Proposed TRP Fact Sheet (fwd)
Michael Williamson (pita@whale.simmons.edu)
Sun, 6 Apr 1997 10:23:13 -0400 (EDT)
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J. Michael Williamson
Principal Investigator-WhaleNet <http://whale.wheelock.edu>
Associate Professor-Science
Wheelock College, 200 The Riverway, Boston, MA 02215
voice: 617.734.5200, ext. 256
fax: 617.734.8666, or 617.566.7369
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 14:19:33 -0500
From: Robyn Angliss <Robyn.Angliss@noaa.gov>
Reply-To: Marine Mammals Research and Conservation Discussion
<MARMAM@UVVM.UVIC.CA>
To: MARMAM@UVVM.UVIC.CA
Subject: Long: NMFS Proposed TRP Fact Sheet
Fact sheet to accompany NMFS press release.
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LARGE WHALE TAKE REDUCTION PLAN:
EMERGENCY RULE & PROPOSED RULE FACT SHEET
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has documented
historical incidental bycatch of several endangered large whales in the
North Atlantic, including right whales, humpback whales, and fin
whales. Incidental bycatch of these species is of great concern due to
low population levels that may not be able to sustain current levels of
human-caused mortality. Of particular concern is the impact to the
right whale population due to its critically depressed population level
(295 individuals). NMFS is addressing these concerns through two
actions: an emergency rule and implementation of a take reduction plan.
Emergency Rule to protect right whales
In December 1996, NMFS initiated a consultation on the American
Lobster Fishery Management Plan under the Endangered Species Act to
assess impacts of the fishery on protected species. NMFS found that
the current operation of the fishery would jeopardize the existence of
right whales, unless changes were made in either the fishing practices
or gear. The Biological Opinion, released in December 1996,
recommended that right whale critical habitat areas be closed to
unrestricted lobster pot fishing until gear modifications are developed
that significantly reduce the risk of entanglement to whales.
An emergency rule that implements provisions of the Biological
Opinion was filed at the Federal Register on April 1, 1997 and
published on April 4. This action:
- Restricts the Federal portion of Cape Cod Bay right whale critical
habitat to certain lobster gear types approved by NMFS from April 1
until May 15.
- Closes the entire Great South Channel right whale critical habitat
to lobster pot fishing from April 1 to June 30.
These actions will reduce the risk of entanglement to right whales
during a time of peak right whale abundance in the critical habitat
areas. Because a small proportion (under 10%) of the total lobster
landings are made between April and June, this emergency rule is not
anticipated to have a significant impact on the lobster industry.
Proposed rule to implement the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan
The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) requires NMFS to develop and
implement a take reduction plan to assist in the recovery or to prevent
the depletion of each strategic stock that interacts with a Category I
or II fishery. Category I or II fisheries are fisheries that have
frequent or occasional incidental mortality and serious injury of
marine mammals, respectively.
The immediate goal of a take reduction plan is to reduce, within 6
months of its implementation, the mortality and serious injury of
strategic stocks incidentally taken in the course of commercial fishing
operations to below the PBR levels established for such stocks. The
long-term goal of the take reduction plan is to reduce mortality and
serious injury of marine mammals incidental to commercial fisheries to
levels approaching a zero mortality rate goal.
A strategic stock is a stock: (1) For which the level of direct
human-caused mortality exceeds the potential biological removal (PBR)
level; (2) which is declining and is likely to be listed under the
Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the foreseeable future; or (3) which is
listed as a threatened or endangered species under the ESA. The
incidental bycatch of strategic stocks in this fishery exceeds the PBR
levels established for these stocks. (PBR is defined as the maximum
number of animals that may be removed from a marine mammal stock while
allowing that stock to reach or maintain its optimum sustainable
population level.)
In August 1996, NMFS convened the Atlantic Large Whale Take
Reduction Team (ALWTRT) to develop a plan to reduce the take of large
whales (right, humpback, fin) incidental to the following U.S. North
Atlantic fisheries: the New England sink gillnet fishery, the lobster
trap/pot fishery in the Gulf of Maine and mid-Atlantic, the coastal
gillnet fisheries in the mid-Atlantic, and the shark driftnet fishery
in the southeastern U.S. Atlantic. These fisheries are all listed as
Category 1 fisheries due to their interactions with marine mammals,
particularly the right whale
Although the ALWTRT did not reach consensus on management measures,
they submitted a report to NMFS which was used in the development of
the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. The proposed rule filed
by NMFS on April 1, 1997, and published on April 4, contains proposed
implementing regulations which include the following measures:
- seasonal time/area restrictions on setting gear in the Northern
right whale critical habitats of Cape Cod Bay, the Great South Channel,
the Florida/Georgia coastal corridor;
- a contingency plan that may be activated in the event of unusual
whale distribution, that could include more extensive restrictions in
certain areas, including Jeffrey's Ledge, Stellwagen Bank, and other
areas;
- gear modifications requirements, such as using breakaway buoys,
number of allowable vertical lines on certain gear, weak vertical
lines, or sinking line,
- improved response and assistance to entangled large whales;
- skipper workshops to increase awareness of responsible fishing
practices and new gear technology to avoid interactions with marine
mammals.
These proposed measures, if implemented, are expected to
significantly decrease the risk of entanglement to large whales.
Proposed time/area closures will reduce or eliminate fishing effort
when and where whales are most vulnerable. Proposed gear modification
requirements are designed to allow whales to break through encountered
gear or reduce the severity of an entanglement. The expansion of the
disentanglement network, a group of large whale biologists trained to
disentangle live whales from fishing gear, will reduce the impacts of
entanglement on individual whales and on the whale populations.