The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) have announced plans to conduct a status review of threatened and endangered sea turtles, including the green, hawksbill, Kemp’s ridley, leatherback, loggerhead, and olive ridley. This periodic 5-year review is conducted to ensure that listing classifications under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) are accurate.

Any interested party is invited to provide information and comments pertaining to these species. Specifically, this review seeks information on: (1) species biology, including population trends, distribution, abundance, demographics, and genetics; (2) habitat conditions, including amount, distribution, and suitability; (3) conservation measures that have been implemented; (4) threat status and trends; and (5) other new information, data, or corrections, including taxonomic or nomenclatural changes, identification of erroneous information contained in the ESA list, and improved analytical methods. Comments and materials received will be available for public inspection by appointment.

Written comments and information may sent via email to seaturtle.statusreview@noaa.gov, faxed to (301) 427-2522, or sent via regular mail addressed to National Sea Turtle Coordinator, Marine Mammal and Marine Turtle Conservation Division, NMFS Office of Protected Resources, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 20910.

Written comments and information related to this 5-year review must be received by July 20, 2005.

The Federal Register Notice announcing this status review and information on federally-listed sea turtles is available on-line at northflorida.fws.gov.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.

 

2005 News Releases