Tag Archives: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Environmental group dislikes new rule for listing, delisting or reclassification under the Endangered Species Act
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries finalized a rule Monday that changes the process by which species are petitioned for listing, delisting or reclassification under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Under the rule, first proposed in May 2015, petitioners will be required to notify each state wildlife agency where a species is located at least 30 days before submitting a petition to the federal government. The delay will gives states an opportunity to provide agencies with pertinent information on the species. The new rule also restricts the number of species that can be petitioned for at one time. Under the rule, only one species is allowed per petition. The Center for Biological Diversity was quick to slam the rule, calling it an “impediment” to using the Endangered Species Act. “These new restrictions on citizen petitions are nothing more than a gift to industries and right-wing states that are hostile to endangered species,” Brett Hartl, the group’s director of endangered species policy, said in a statement. Read the story here 10:34
California sea otter population reaches record high number
A growth in the amount of sea urchins, one of the otters’ favorite foods, seems to be the leading reason why otter numbers along the California coast have grown to 3,272 this year, up 11 percent since 2013, experts said as they released the latest survey. “The population is slowly but steadily recovering,” said Tim Tinker, a research biologist in Santa Cruz who leads the U.S. Geological Survey’s otter program. “And that’s good news because sea otters bring ecological benefits.”In fact, the otter population is likely at its highest level in at least 100 years, Tinker said. And for the first time, the otter numbers have exceeded 3,090, the total that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says is needed to be met for three years in a row before they can be considered for removal from the endangered species list. Read the story here 13:45
Fishermen’s Lawsuit Revived for Abalone Protection
This lawsuit is about Eco-Based Management in the purest sense. Overruling a trial court, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals [Tuesday] reinstated 
lawsuit to protect abalone and other shellfish resources — and the industries dependent on them — from being ravaged by sea otters in the waters off the Southern California coast. The lawsuit — California Sea Urchin Commission, et al. v. Jacobson, et. al. — targets the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for illegally eliminating a “sea otter management zone” (i.e., a zone of protection for shellfish off the Southern California coast) which Congress established under a 1986 statute. PLF attorneys represent fishermen, a California state commission, and several nonprofit organizations with a direct interest in maintaining healthy populations of shellfish. In challenging the Service’s violation of its legal mandate to contain the sea otter population, PLF attorneys represent: The California Sea Urchin Commission, California Abalone Association, California Lobster and Trap Fishermen’s Association, Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara. Read the rest here 20:35
Federal Agencies start work on Columbia River fishing deal
Federal authorities are working on a plan aimed at deciding how much sport, commercial and tribal fishing for salmon and steelhead will be allowed in the Columbia River and its tributaries as part of a long-term agreement starting in 2018. The other main component considered in the environmental review being prepared by the National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is hatchery production levels. The agencies will use the document as they work to craft an agreement with Idaho, Oregon and Washington, as well as tribes in those states with harvest treaty rights. The length of the agreement has yet to be determined, but a 10-year timeframe is generally supported. Read the story here 16:20
Wildlife cops leery of ‘Finding Dory’ film – concerns of increased poaching in Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Over the last few years, federal law enforcement have arrested and convicted a slew of aquarium wildlife collectors in an operation dubbed “Operation Rock Bottom.” The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the reef are home to some of the most desirable tropical fish, coral, sharks and other wildlife for saltwater aquarium enthusiasts. Though the industry is regulated by state and federal law, the lure of quick and easy cash tempts traders to poach. Enter “Finding Nemo.” More than a decade ago, when Disney’s “Finding Nemo” animated film was released, law enforcement — mainly U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — saw a spike in the collection of species made popular in the movie. Read the story here 12:12
Green Sea turtles put under new protections by Obama administration
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced Tuesday they are updating the status of green sea turtles. Green sea turtles will be divided into 11 distinct populations, the agencies said. Turtles in three of those regions will be listed as endangered species, while those in the other eight regions will be listed as threatened species . The agencies first began protecting sea turtles in 1978, but are now revising their status. As part of the changes, two distinct populations that had been considered endangered — the Florida and Mexican Pacific Coast breeding populations — will now be listed as threatened. Read the rest here, Read the Final Rule here 15:07
The Cover Up Of The Texas American Eel – by Jason Fregia
Recently there was a petition filed with USFW to list the American eel as a Threatened species by CESAR “Council for Endangered Species Act Reliability”, The American eel was not listed under the threatened Species Act by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. According to the wildlife service the American eel’s population is still stable. Without knowing of the huge population of American eels that exist in Texas. Texas is not allowing the harvest of the eels due to the result of a cover up to protect Texas Parks and Wildlife from legal repercussions due to falsifying Federal Documents. Read the rest here 19:27
American eel won’t be listed under Endangered Species Act
American eels will not be listed under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Wednesday, a victory for fishermen of the increasingly valuable species. The wildlife service rejected a petition from the California-based Center for Environmental Science, Accuracy & Reliability to list the eels — which are prized in Asian cuisine — as threatened. The petitioners argued that the eels have lost more than 80 per cent of their habitat and the security of the stock is jeopardized by fishing pressure from commercial fishing, blah blah blah! Read the rest here 13:24
AESA Urges U.S. Government to Reject ESA Listing for American Eel
Following a petition from the Council for Endangered Species Act Reliability (CESAR) (click here to see petition), the U.S. government this month will once again consider calls to list the American eel as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The American Eel Sustainability Association (AESA) reiterates its position that the American eel does not require either a “threatened” or “endangered” designation. AESA cites ample scientific study from a Federal agency and strict regulations already in place as support for this stance. Substantial scientific evidence demonstrates,,, Read the rest here 16:37
What about the jobs?! Assateague National Seashore: Commercial fishing, Aquaculture ban proposed
Chincoteague officials are preparing to respond to a plan that could put an end to commercial fishing, aquaculture and the horseshoe crab harvest within the boundaries of Assateague Island National Seashore. Assateague Island National Seashore Superintendent Deborah Darden presented an overview of a draft general management plan for the national seashore — including the proposed prohibition on commercial seafood activities — to the Chincoteague Town Council on Thursday, Sept. 17. Read the rest here 08:27
More Enviro Quackery – Oasis Earth proposed rafts where walrus can rest off Alaska
In July, Oasis Earth suggested the Fish and Wildlife Service consider the resting platforms for walrus and offered to fund-raise toward the cost. The group proposed a pilot project to anchor at least one barge with appropriate surface material for walrus at Hanna Shoal from July through October. Rafts, the group said, could give walrus more time offshore to access a greater amount of food and could reduce drowning deaths among the animals. Read he rest here 15:04
Decision Soon on Listing Eels Under Endangered Species Act
An environmental advocacy group wants the federal government to list the American eel as threatened, giving the fish protections that would greatly limit fishermen’s ability to pursue and catch them. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision about protecting the eels will likely come toward the end of September, said Steven Shepard, a spokesman for the agency. Only Maine and South Carolina fishermen harvest elvers, and South Carolina’s fishery is much smaller. Several other states have fisheries for older eels, including Maryland, Virginia and Delaware. Darrell Young, who co-directs the Maine Elver Fishermen’s Association and has fished for elvers for more than 20 years, said,,, Read the rest here 16:20
WPFMC question proposed rule on green sea turtles, address allocation of US tuna catches
The council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee and Protected Species Advisory Committee noted a lack of transparency in the criteria used to make the status determinations, questionable interpretation of existing research and gaps in information considered. The Scientific and Statistical Committee, for example, said the proposal to continue to list the Hawai’i green turtle as threatened is contrary to analysis that showed zero chance of decline in the population in the foreseeable future. Read the rest here 20:15
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Propose Actions to Build on Successes of Endangered Species Act
Building on the success of the Obama Administration in implementing the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in new and innovative ways, today the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service (the Services) announced an additional suite of actions the Administration will take to improve the effectiveness of the Act and demonstrate its flexibility. The actions will engage the states, promote the use of the best available science and transparency in the scientific process,,, Theres plenty more NOAA Rah Rah to read here 14:39
Affidavit spells out allegations against Maine elver dealer
William Sheldon is accused of encouraging elver fishermen, some of whom were undercover federal agents, to fish in prohibited areas and of buying elvers that he knew had not been legally harvested. The allegations described in the affidavit constitute violations of the federal Lacey Act, which prohibits interstate transport or transactions of any species of fish or wildlife illegally harvested or handled in any state. According to the document, anyone found guilty of knowingly violating the Lacey Act faces a potential fine of up to $250,000 and as many as five years in prison. Read the rest here 20:43
Invasive Asian carp fish spawning in Louisville
A highly invasive fish commonly called Asian carp is proliferating in the Ohio River at Louisville, with a spawning area below the McAlpine Locks and Dam. A report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says two species of the fish, Bighead and Silver carp, are spawning at Louisville. State Fish and Wildlife hosted a first-ever commercial fishing contest in 2013 at Kentucky and Barkley lakes to reduce the populations. Read the rest here 14:52
Elver Eel exporters may need new license
The Maine Department of Marine Resources is preparing legislation that would require individuals who ship the baby eels overseas to purchase a $5,000 exporter’s license. The state already licenses both elver fishermen and dealers, so DMR officials said the exporter license will ensure the state is monitoring every aspect of an industry that has drawn poachers and federal scrutiny in recent years. Read the rest here 10:45
Tilghman Island Man Sentenced in Fish Poaching Case – conspiring to violate the Lacey Act
U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced William J. Lednum, age 41, of Tilghman Island, today to a year and a day in prison, followed by six months of home detention as part of three years of supervised release, for conspiring to violate the Lacey Act and to defraud the United States through the illegal harvesting and sale of 185,925 pounds of striped bass. Read the rest here 19:39
A man-made attempt to save the rarest fish on Earth (its a guppy!)
California tries giant water coolers to save fish – “We’re looking at losing an entire generation”
State and federal wildlife officials are resorting to installing giant water chillers in some of California’s fish hatcheries, as drought, over-allocation of water and climate change all combine this year to make temperatures too warm for some baby salmon and other fish to survive. Read more here 11:10
Oh WOW, Man. Not the Pot Gardens! – Biologists identify pot gardens as salmon threat
Water use and other actions by the marijuana industry in the Emerald Triangle of Northern California and Southern Oregon are threatening salmon already in danger of extinction, federal biologists said Tuesday. Concerns about the impact of pot farming were raised by the NOAA Fisheries Service in its final recovery plan for coho salmon in the region. The full plan was to be posted on the agency’s website. Read the rest here 15:38
Podesta, White House warned about Pew ocean preserve expansion to combat ‘climate change’
John Podesta, the Obama administration’s climate and energy czar, got a blunt warning this week that a plan to cut off all fishing in a huge, U.S.-controlled tract of the Pacific Ocean would have devastating economic effects in the region, and would cede geopolitical advantages to China and other Pacific powers., Federal officials did not allow the session to be filmed Read the rest here 19:31 PEW “CONFIDENTIAL BACKGROUND DOSSIER Here
Chatham defends fishing rights as Feds’ ‘land grab’ disputed
After joining a makeshift band singing a cheeky rendition of Woody Guthrie’s famous folk song, “This is not your land, this is our land,” outside a public hearing on the expansion of the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, shellfisherman Wendy Homer heard the distant sound of thunder.
“That’s our forefathers turning over in their graves,” Homer said. Read more here 15:06
Elver season falls short of statewide quota – Feds suspect significant illegal activity, though.
ELLSWORTH, Maine — The 2014 elver fishing season is expected to come to a close Saturday, without the statewide catch quota being reached, according to state officials. Read more here 08:25
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Monomoy wildlife refuge plan fuels anger in Chatham
The plan contains a blanket prohibition on harvesting mussels, which are considered an important food source for migrating ducks such as eiders. It also prohibited the use of a brine solution that forces fast-digging razor clams to the surface making them easier to catch. Any type of gear that was dragged along the bottom, like a scallop dredge, is also not allowed in those waters as a new measure intended to help restore sea-floor habitat like eelgrass. Read more here 08:56
More salmon get truck rides due to drought
Nearly 1 million juvenile Chinook salmon this week will get a truck ride from Red Bluff to San Pablo Bay as a detour around harmful Sacramento River conditions caused by drought. The fish are the last of 12 million fall-run Chinook salmon produced this year at Coleman National Hatchery near Red Bluff. Normally, all those fish are released into Battle Creek, a tributary of the Sacramento, to journey downstream to the Pacific Ocean on their own. Read more here 18:25
From Poacher to Dealer: Feds Investigate Illegal Elver Trade
A federal investigation into the illegal buying and selling of glass eels is picking up speed and may soon result in indictments of dozens of people. In recent weeks, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has led raids in Maine and in other states along the eastern seaboard as part of Operation Broken Glass. As Jay Field reports, the investigation is focusing,,, Listen, and read more here 20:08
NOAA and partners release first federal ocean acidification strategic research plan
Today, NOAA and its partners released the first federal strategic plan to guide research and monitoring investments that will improve our understanding of ocean acidification, its potential impacts on marine species and ecosystems, and adaptation and mitigation strategies. Read more here 10:04
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service proposed rule to amend ESA sections 4, 7, 10 of the Act
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service propose to amend our regulations, which implements the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. In 1986, the Services established a definition for “destruction or adverse modification” that was found to be invalid by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth and Ninth…Read more here 11:33
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