Northeast
Regional
Office
River Herring (alewife
and blueback herring)
petition and NOAA
Fisheries response
Tara Trinko Lake
Protected Resources Division
Where are we (NOAA Fisheries) in the
decision making process?
Status Review Phase
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 2
Update on the Status Review Process
• Compiled best available scientific and commercial
information on the status, abundance and trends of
both species (e.g. stock assessment, working group
reports, and peer reviews)
• Completing the five factor analysis
• Conducted a threats assessment (qualitative) and
completing an extinction risk analysis (quantitative)
• Considering information on “significant portion of the
species range” (e.g., are there areas where the
species/DPS is no longer viable (self-sustaining), but
once was?)
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 3
2012 Workshops
• NOAA Fisheries held three workshops on alewife and
blueback herring
• Stock Structure Workshop June 22th in Gloucester, MA
• Working Group meeting- June 20- 21th
• Extinction Risk Workshop July 10th in Boston, MA
• Working Group meeting- July 11-12th
• Climate Change Workshop July 18-19th in Gloucester, MA
• All reports from working group meetings were peer reviewed,
and the reports and peer review reports are posted on our
webpage:
http://www.nero.noaa.gov/prot_res/CandidateSpeciesPro
gram/RiverHerringSOC.htm
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 4
Alewife
Stock Structure
Palkovacs et al. 2012
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 5
Blueback herring
stock structure
Palkovacs et al. 2012
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 6
Notes about stock complexes
• NOAA Fisheries will first consider both species
throughout their entire range (Florida to Canada)
• Stock complexes are not automatically assumed
to be distinct population segments (DPS)
• DPS must be both:
• Discrete
• Significant
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 7
Extinction Risk Modeling
• Extinction risk trajectories are being run for:
• Entire range of alewife and blueback herring
(Florida to Canada)
• Each stock complex of alewife and blueback
herring
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 8
Possible outcomes
• NOAA Fisheries proposes to list the species as endangered
• NOAA Fisheries proposes to list the species as threatened
• NOAA Fisheries determines that listing is not warranted
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 9
What does this mean for harvest in 2013?
What is the timeline for a listing decision?
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 10
NOAA Funded Restoration Projects
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 11
Questions?
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 12
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 13
Possible outcomes
NMFS proposes to list the species as endangered
• 60 to 90 day public comment period, public hearings
• NMFS must make a final determination no later than
one year after proposed rule
• If final rule is endangered, all take is automatically
prohibited
• Take defined as “to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap,
capture, or collect, or attempt to engage in any such conduct.”
Possible outcomes continued
• Take from bycatch or incidental catch in nondirected fisheries prohibited unless authorized
through Section 7 or 10 of the ESA
• NMFS must designate critical habitat at time of
final listing (to maximum extent prudent) and
initiate recovery planning
Possible outcomes continued
NMFS proposes to list the species as threatened
• Secretary of Commerce must promulgate protective
regulations that are necessary and advisable for the
conservation of the species (e.g., a 4(d) rule)
• Directed take, bycatch, importation and exportation most
likely prohibited (unless authorized through Section 7 or
10)
• Critical habitat designated
• Recovery planning initiated
NMFS determines that listing is not warranted