NOAA’s Protected Resources Recovery Program Donna Wieting Director Office of Protected Resources MAFAC September 24, 2014 Silver Spring, MD

NOAA’s Protected Resources Recovery Program Presentation Outline  ESA Overview/What We do to Support Recovery  ESA Recovery Requirements  How We Measure Success/Challenges  Ideas to Work Together to Improve Recovery Success

Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) Why protect species? Congress found and declared, when enacting the ESA…  Various species have been rendered extinct as a consequence of economic growth and development untempered by adequate concern and conservation  Such species are of esthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational, and scientific value to the nation and its people

ESA Recovery How many listed species under NMFS jurisdiction have recovery plans?  NMFS has jurisdiction over 122 marine “species” of which 32 are foreign species  Recovery Plan Status  43 species--final recovery plans  4 species--draft recovery plans (out for public comment)  15 species– recovery plans underdevelopment  23 species--recovery plans not started  39 species--found that recovery plans would not promote conservation (e.g., foreign species),

What factors are considered in recovery planning?  Species biological constraints & habitat needs;  Present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range;  Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes;  Disease or predation;  Inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms;  Other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued existence  Conservation efforts, ESA Recovery

What is recovery?  Improvement in the status of listed species to the point at which listing is no longer appropriate under the criteria set out in section 4(a)(1) of the Act (50 CFR § )  Process by which listed species & their ecosystems are restored & their future is safeguarded to the point that protections under ESA are no longer needed (NMFS & FWS Interim Recovery Planning Guidance 2007)

ESA Recovery What is required for recovery? ESA Section 4(f) requires:  Develop & implement recovery plans for conservation & survival of listed species unless such plan will not promote the conservation of the species  Priority given to species that are most likely to benefit from such plan  Procure services of appropriate entities to develop & implement plan—FACA exempt  Provide public notice & comment and consider all information prior to plan approval  Biennial Report to Congress on progress,

ESA Recovery What policies guide us in recovery?  Interim Endangered & Threatened Species Recovery Planning Guidance (2004 & updated in 2010)  Endangered & Threatened Species Listing & Recovery Priority Guidelines (1990),

ESA Recovery What is a recovery plan?  Guidance (not regulatory), a road map for recovery – lays out where we need to go & how best to get there  Outreach tool  Guide for monitoring species status, threats, recovery actions, post-listing,

ESA Recovery What is required in a recovery plan? Each plan must include:  Site-specific management actions as may be necessary to achieve the plan’s goal  Objective, measurable criteria, which when met would result in removing the species from the ESA  Cost and time to carry out those measures needed to achieve the plan’s goal,

ESA Recovery How do we measure success?  Government Performance Results Act (GPRA)  Number of protected species with stable or increasing population levels (30/79)  Number and percent of ongoing or completed recovery actions (44.6%)  Percent of Protected Species with Adequate Population Assessments and Forecasts (19%)  NMFS must make measurable progress on recovering protected species—(NOAA Annual Guidance Memorandum FY2015)  NMFS must improve recovery of listed species through innovative partnerships—(DOC Strategic Plan FY ; Objective 3.4)

12 We Are Making Progress!  Delisting of Eastern Population of Steller sea lion due to recovery  820,000 fall Chinook pass Bonneville Dam – double the 10 year average  Humpback population annual growth 3 – 7%  Monk seal recovery program success North Atlantic right whale – 2.6% growth Bowhead whale population growth estimated over 3% annually since 2001

Recovery Challenges Workload, budget, staffing Increased number and scope of listings Increased recovery planning Decreased funding Meeting expectations with fewer resources Outreach and Partnerships MAFAC assistance to develop/ facilitate partnerships in recovery implementation & examine recovery actions U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 13

ESA Recovery How can we work together to improve recovery success?  We will work with the Protected Species Subcommittee in FY2015 to determine how best to proceed & develop a plan of action  Possible outputs would be a report with recommendations to advise on improving recovery actions and fostering partnerships that achieve timely recovery of listed species

ESA Recovery How can we work together to improve recovery success? Retrospective analysis of recovery actions—what has worked and what can we do better:  Are the recovery actions clearly described & appropriate responsible parties engaged  Are the recovery actions technically & scientifically practicable/feasible  What degree does NMFS have authority/influence over the recovery action & how does that affect the outcome

ESA Recovery How can we work together to improve recovery success?  Build partnerships to facilitate completing recovery actions  Examples of actions that have not been started:  Smalltooth sawfish: Recovery Task Develop and implement programs, in cooperation with other interested parties to assess, minimize and mitigate the effects of lost fishing gear.  Atlantic Salmon Gulf of Maine DPS: Recovery Task 1.4.1E. Enhance riparian protection through modifications to Acts & land use zoning

ESA Recovery A recovery plan is one of the most important tools to ensure sound scientific and logistical decision-making throughout the recovery process and to ensure recovery success. But… Even the best of plans may achieve little for species recovery if they are not implemented because they are not practical, they are misunderstood, or they are opposed by those with the authority or means to implement them.

18 QUESTIONS ?