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Reduce the risks of extinction, and recover marine protected species and the ecosystems on which they depend.

During the past century, marine mammals, birds, turtles, fish, invertebrates, and other marine species have been overhunted or overfished, causing extinction or extreme population declines. Today, interactions with commercial fishing operations, overharvest for international trade, and degradation and loss of important feeding and nursery habitats have depleted many marine species. As coastal and marine waters have become increasingly polluted, many species have shown increases in diseases, infections, and tumors. Combined with increased disturbances from ship traffic, noise pollution, and other impacts, the cumulative effects of these stresses have reduced many marine species to extremely low levels and possible extinction. Specifically, between 1975 and 1999, the number of marine species or stocks listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act increased from 20 to 61. Another 42 marine species or stocks are currently considered candidates or are proposed for listing under the Act.

There is serious concern for the future of a number of marine species protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act or the Endangered Species Act, including Steller sea lions, North Atlantic and North Pacific right whales, Hawaiian monk seals, West Indian manatees, southern sea otters, and all six species of sea turtles. Destructive collecting practices and unsustainable collection levels have also severely depleted the populations of a number of species (e.g., seahorses and coral reef species). And habitat destruction is probably leading to the loss of less- studied marine organisms before they are even identified, much less protected.

Ongoing Concerns

• There is a lack of information on the population sizes and trends of marine wildlife, as well as on the threats to marine wildlife.
• The lack of coordination, especially in the international arena, reduces the effectiveness of recovery and protection actions.
• Delays in addressing population trends can dramatically increase the cost of recovery efforts.

Recommendations

• Increase research and monitoring activities to provide information on populations of marine wildlife, and threats and solutions to their decline.
• Develop and implement national goals and coordinated action plans to recover marine protected species.
• Increase coordination with tribes and states on research, recovery, and management of marine protected species.
• Address key existing and emerging threats, including modification/ destruction of coastal and estuarine seafloor ecosystems by fishing gear, coastal habitat destruction resulting from shoreline protection efforts, and watercraft collisions with marine mammals.
• Develop a coordinated policy and action plan for dealing with interactions between the public and expanding seal populations, the growth of marine aquaculture, and the use and effectiveness of marine preserves.
• Develop solutions to safely deter marine mammals, sea turtles, and seabirds from becoming entangled in fishing gear; prevent incidental bycatch in commercial fisheries; and reduce the impacts of ship traffic on marine mammals.
• Consider the impacts of marine noise pollution on marine mammals, and develop solutions as appropriate.
• More effectively implement the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and improve cooperation with domestic and international partners, including increased training and capacity building for other countries.

For more information

http://www.nmfs.gov/prot_res/prot_res.html
http://state-of-coast.noaa.gov/
http://www.fws.gov/r9endspp/endspp.html
http://www.fws.gov/r9dia/global/cites.html
http://www.heritage.tnc.org/