EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Environmental Assessment and Prediction Mission
Environmental Stewardship Mission
Build Sustainable Fisheries
Recover Protected Species
Sustain Healthy Coasts
Crosscutting Initiatives
Reducing Costs and Improving Effectiveness
Budget Request--
Traditional Structure
Budget Request--
Strategic Plan Structure
Supplementary Tables
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Recover Protected Species
Total Request: $80,677,000
NOAA requests $80.7 million to address this strategic goal, a net increase
of $7.9 million over the FY 1999 base. The objectives are to:
- assess the status of, and impacts to, protected species; and
- develop and implement conservation and recovery plans for depleted
marine mammals and endangered and threatened species.
These objectives will be accomplished primarily through the efforts of
NMFS. The request includes:
$37.3 million for status reviews and stock assessments; and $38.8 million,
an increase of $8.2 million over FY 1999 Base, for developing recovery,
conservation and take reduction plans for the management of protected and
depleted species. The requested increase will ensure that NMFS can address
major responsibilities for responding to west coast salmon listings under
the Endangered Species Act (ESA), expand recovery actions for endangered
Kemp's ridley turtles, strengthen Atlantic right whale recovery efforts,
and establish cooperative conservation program agreements under the ESA
with additional states, including Alaska, California and Washington. The
increase also will support the recently enacted International Dolphin Conservation
Program (providing for domestic implementation of the international agreement
and ensuring the U.S. meets its study and tracking obligations under the
agreement), continues a four-year study on the effects of encirclement of
dolphins as a method for harvesting tuna, and develops a tracking and monitoring
system for verification of "dolphin-safe" tuna being imported
into the U.S. The existence of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered
Species Act and other legislation provides a clear indication of public
support for strong efforts to conserve living marine resources. The desired
outcome of this effort is to recover species in danger of extinction in
a manner compatible with the sustainable use of marine resources.
Also included is a net decrease of $0.3 million for program reductions,
terminations and distributed infrastructure changes.
During 1997, NMFS implemented several marine mammal take reduction plans
and updated 50 marine mammal stock assessments, strengthened turtle excluder
device requirements and increased cooperation with Mexico to maximize hatchling
production of turtles, and conducted hundreds of ESA Section 7 and Section
10 consultations. These and other accomplishments have improved the status
of these species while minimizing the impact of conservation measures on
economic and social activities. |