Re: Endangered Species Act Biological Opinion and Not Likely to Adversely Affect

• Main Author: Donald Mcisaac
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Pacific; Balaenoptera borealis; Balaenoptera musculus; Balaenoptera physalus; Eubalaena japonica; Megaptera novaeangliae
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.638.9957; http://www.pcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/F3b_ATT3_BO_MAR2012BB.pdf

The enclosed document contains a biological opinion (Opinion) prepared by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Protected Resources Division (PRD) pursuant to section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on the effects of the operation of the Pacific coast groundfish fishery in 2012. In this Opinion, NMFS concludes that the proposed action is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris), eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), and leatherback sea turtles (Dennochelys coriacea). NMFS also concludes that the proposed action is not likely to destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat of green sturgeon or leatherback sea turtles. Furthermore, NMFS concludes that the proposed action may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect the following species and designated critical habitat: • Sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis), • North Pacific Right whales (Eubalaena japonica), • Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), • Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus)