NOAA issues biological opinion on groundfish fishery: not likely to jeopardize humpback DPSs or leatherback turtles, NMFS presents monitoring and reporting term

NOAA Fisheries presented a biological opinion (BiOp) on March 20 that reinitiated consultation for ESA‑listed humpback whales and leatherback sea turtles and concluded the continued operation of the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery is "not likely to jeopardize" the Mainland Mexico or Central America distinct population segments (DPSs) of humpback whales or leatherback sea turtles, and is not likely to result in adverse modification of designated critical habitat.

The decision and how it was reached

Dan Lawson of NOAA described the agency’s review, which used observer records, electronic monitoring reports and species distribution models to estimate co‑occurrence of fishing effort and marine megafauna. NOAA considered recent, unexpected entanglements in fixed‑gear (pot) and midwater trawl sectors and updated bycatch estimates, then apportioned anticipated takes to DPSs using spatial patterns of overlap and DPS proportions by region. The BiOp presents best‑available annual and 5‑year running average take expectations and applies mortality/serious‑injury rates consistent with the observed record.

Key numeric findings and assumptions summarized by NOAA

- Observed interactions and reporting: Six entanglement events were discussed for the pot and fixed‑gear fisheries (three observed by observers, three…