Notice2021-23225
Draft 2021 Marine Mammal Stock Assessment Reports
Primary source
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Published
October 25, 2021
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS reviewed the Alaska, Atlantic, and Pacific regional marine mammal stock assessment reports (SARs) in accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). SARs for marine mammals in the Alaska, Atlantic, and Pacific regions were revised according to new information. NMFS solicits public comments on the draft 2021 SARs. NMFS is also requesting new information for strategic stocks that were not updated in 2021.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 203 (Monday, October 25, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 203 (Monday, October 25, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58887-58890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23225]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XB302]
Draft 2021 Marine Mammal Stock Assessment Reports
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments and new information.
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SUMMARY: NMFS reviewed the Alaska, Atlantic, and Pacific regional
marine mammal stock assessment reports (SARs) in accordance with the
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). SARs for marine mammals in the
Alaska, Atlantic, and Pacific regions were revised according to new
information. NMFS solicits public comments on the draft 2021 SARs. NMFS
is also requesting new information for strategic stocks that were not
updated in 2021.
DATES: Comments must be received by January 24, 2022.
ADDRESSES: The 2021 draft SARs are available in electronic form via the
internet at <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/draft-marine-mammal-stock-assessment-reports">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/draft-marine-mammal-stock-assessment-reports</a>.
Copies of the Alaska Regional SARs may be requested from Marcia
Muto, Alaska Fisheries Science Center; copies of the Atlantic, Gulf of
Mexico, and Caribbean Regional SARs may be requested from Elizabeth
Josephson, Northeast Fisheries Science Center; and copies of the
Pacific Regional SARs may be requested from Jim Carretta, Southwest
Fisheries Science Center (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT below).
You may submit comments or new information, identified by NOAA-
NMFS-2021-0130, through the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and
enter NOAA-NMFS-2021-0130 in the Search box. Click on the ``Comment''
icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
Instructions: NMFS may not consider comments if they are sent by
any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after
the end of the comment period. Due to delays in processing mail related
to COVID-19 and health and safety concerns, no mail, courier, or hand
deliveries will be accepted. All comments received are a part of the
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain
anonymous).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Zachary Schakner, Office of Science
and Technology, 301-427-8106, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0a506b69626b7873245969626b61646f784a64656b6b246d657c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4a102b29222b3833641929222b21242f380a24252b2b642d253c">[email protected]</span></a>; Marcia Muto,
206-526-4026, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cb86aab9a8a2aae586bebfa48ba5a4aaaae5aca4bd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="93def2e1f0faf2bddee6e7fcd3fdfcf2f2bdf4fce5">[email protected]</span></a>, regarding Alaska regional stock
assessments; Elizabeth Josephson, 508-495-2362,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#02476e6b78636067766a2c486d7167726a716d6c426c6d63632c656d74"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="52173e3b28333037263a7c183d2137223a213d3c123c3d33337c353d24">[email protected]</span></a>, regarding Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and
Caribbean regional stock assessments; or Jim Carretta, 858-546-7171,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8cc6e5e1a2cfedfefee9f8f8edcce2e3ededa2ebe3fa"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="28624145066b495a5a4d5c5c496846474949064f475e">[email protected]</span></a>, regarding Pacific regional stock assessments.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 117 of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) requires NMFS and
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to prepare stock assessments
for each stock of marine mammals occurring in waters under the
jurisdiction of the United States, including the U.S. Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ). These stock assessment reports (SARs) must contain
information regarding the distribution and abundance of the stock,
population growth rates and trends, estimates of annual human-caused
mortality and serious injury (M/SI) from all sources, descriptions of
the fisheries with which the stock interacts, and the status of the
stock. Initial SARs were completed in 1995.
The MMPA requires NMFS and FWS to review the SARs at least annually
for strategic stocks and stocks for which significant new information
is available, and at least once every three years for non-strategic
stocks. The term ``strategic stock'' means a marine mammal stock: (A)
For which the level of direct human-caused mortality exceeds the
potential biological removal level or PBR (defined by the MMPA as the
maximum number of animals, not including natural mortalities, that may
be removed from a marine mammal stock while allowing that stock to
reach or maintain its optimum sustainable population); (B) which, based
on the best available scientific information, is declining and is
likely to be listed as a threatened species under the Endangered
Species Act (ESA) within the foreseeable future; or (C) which is listed
as a threatened species or endangered species under the ESA or is
designated as depleted under the MMPA. NMFS and FWS are required to
revise a SAR if the status of the stock has changed or can be more
accurately determined.
In order to ensure that marine mammal SARs constitute the best
scientific information available, the updated SARs under NMFS's
jurisdiction are peer-reviewed within NOAA Fisheries Science Centers
and by members of three regional independent Scientific Review Groups,
established under the MMPA to independently advise NMFS. As a result of
the review, revision, and assessment of available data, the period
covered by the 2021
[[Page 58888]]
draft SARs is 2015 through 2019. While this results in a time lag, the
extensive peer review process ensures the best scientific information
is available in the SARs.
NMFS reviewed the status of all marine mammal strategic stocks as
required and considered whether significant new information was
available for all other stocks under NMFS's jurisdiction. As a result
of this review, NMFS revised a total of 50 SARs in the Alaska,
Atlantic, and Pacific regions to incorporate new information. The 2021
revisions to the SARs consist primarily of updated or revised human-
caused M/SI estimates and updated abundance estimates. No stocks
changed in status from ``non-strategic'' to ``strategic.'' Three stocks
changed in status from ``strategic'' to ``non-strategic.'' Highlights
of the draft 2021 SAR revisions are discussed below.
NMFS solicits public comments on the draft 2021 SARs. To ensure
NMFS is aware of new information relevant to all strategic stocks, NMFS
also requests new information for strategic stocks that were not
updated in 2021. Specifically, new relevant information could include
peer-reviewed information on human-caused M/SI, fishery interactions,
abundance, distribution, stock structure, habitat concerns, and other
information on emerging concerns for strategic stocks that could be
incorporated into the SARs.
Alaska Reports
In 2021, NMFS reviewed new information for 19 stocks in the Alaska
Region and revised five SARs under NMFS's jurisdiction: Four strategic
stocks and one non-strategic stock. A list of the revised SARs in 2021
for the Alaska region is presented in Table 1. Information on the
remaining Alaska region stocks can be found in the final 2020 SARs
(Muto et al. 2021).
Table 1--List of Marine Mammal Stocks in the Alaska Region Revised in
2021
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strategic stocks Non-strategic stocks
------------------------------------------------------------------------
<bullet> Northern fur seal, Eastern <bullet> Dall's porpoise,
Pacific.* Alaska.*
<bullet> Beluga whale, Cook Inlet.
<bullet> Harbor porpoise, Southeast
Alaska.*
<bullet> Bowhead whale, Western Arctic.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Includes updated abundance estimates.
Northern Fur Seal, Eastern Pacific
The updated abundance estimate for the Eastern Pacific stock of
northern fur seals is 626,618 northern fur seals, based on pup
production estimates on Sea Lion Rock (2014), on St. Paul and St.
George Islands (mean of 2014, 2016, and 2018), and on Bogoslof Island
(mean of 2015 and 2019). This is an increase from the previous estimate
of 608,143 northern fur seals. The methods for estimating the
population size are the same as previous years (the population size is
estimated as the number of pups born at rookeries in the eastern Bering
Sea multiplied by a series of expansion factors determined from a
previous life table analysis). The updated minimum population estimate
is 530,376 northern fur seals. The Eastern Pacific stock of northern
fur seals remains classified as a strategic stock because it is
designated as depleted under the MMPA.
Harbor Porpoise, Southeast Alaska
The updated best estimate of abundance (uncorrected for animals
missed on the trackline), derived from a vessel survey in 2019, is
1,302 harbor porpoise. This estimate is not statistically different
from the previous (uncorrected) estimate of 975 in 2010-2012. However,
the estimates for both 2010-2012 and 2019 are for the inland waters of
Southeast Alaska, which is only a portion of the range of this stock.
The updated minimum population estimate for this stock is 1,057
porpoise.
Beluga Whale, Eastern Bering Sea
NMFS has temporarily withdrawn the final 2020 Eastern Bering Sea
Beluga whale stock assessment report from the NMFS website in order to
consult with the Alaska Beluga Whale Committee (ABWC) on the change in
the stock's status from non-strategic to strategic, as is outlined in
the NMFS-ABWC co-management agreement. This has been noted on the NOAA
Fisheries website: <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-stock-assessment-reports-species-stock#cetaceans---small-whales">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-stock-assessment-reports-species-stock#cetaceans---small-whales</a>.
NMFS is providing this information for awareness only and is not
seeking public comment on the NMFS-ABWC co-management agreement, nor
the final 2020 Eastern Bering Sea Beluga whale stock assessment report.
Atlantic Reports
In 2021, NMFS reviewed all 116 stocks in the Atlantic region for
new information (including the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and U.S.
territories in the Caribbean). This year, NMFS revised 23 SARs in the
Atlantic region (Table 2). No stocks changed in status from ``non-
strategic'' to ``strategic.'' Three Northern Gulf of Mexico bay, sound
and estuary stocks of common bottlenose dolphin changed from strategic
to non-strategic (Galveston Bay, East Bay, Trinity Bay; Mississippi
River Delta; and Sabine Lake). Previously, information for the
Galveston Bay, East Bay, Trinity Bay stock of common bottlenose
dolphins was contained within the report ``Common Bottlenose Dolphin,
Northern Gulf of Mexico Bay, Sound, and Estuary Stocks.'' This stock
now has its own report. A list of the revised SARs in the Atlantic
region for 2021 is presented in Table 2. Information on the remaining
Atlantic region stocks can be found in the final 2020 SARs (Hayes et
al. 2021).
Table 2--List of Marine Mammal SARs in the Atlantic Region Revised in
2021
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strategic stocks Non-strategic stocks
------------------------------------------------------------------------
<bullet> North Atlantic right whale, <bullet> Common bottlenose
Western North Atlantic (WNA).* dolphin, Gulf of Mexico
Eastern Coastal.*
<bullet> Fin whale, WNA. <bullet> Common bottlenose
dolphin, Gulf of Mexico
Western Coastal.*
<bullet> Sei whale, Nova Scotia. <bullet> Common bottlenose
dolphin, Gulf of Mexico
Northern Coastal.*
<bullet> Common bottlenose dolphin, <bullet> Common bottlenose
Mississippi Sound, Lake Borgne, Bay dolphin, Northern Gulf of
Boudreau.* Mexico Continental Shelf.*
<bullet> Common bottlenose dolphin, <bullet> Common bottlenose
Barataria Bay Estuarine System.* dolphin, West Bay.*
[[Page 58889]]
<bullet> Common bottlenose dolphin, <bullet> Common bottlenose
Northern Gulf of Mexico Bay, Sound, and dolphin, Galveston Bay,
Estuary Stocks.** East Bay, Trinity Bay.
<bullet> Atlantic white-
sided dolphin, WNA.
<bullet> Atlantic spotted
dolphin, Northern Gulf of
Mexico.*
<bullet> Long-finned pilot
whale, WNA.
<bullet> Harp seal, WNA.*
<bullet> Short-finned pilot
whale, WNA.
<bullet> Common Minke whale,
Canadian East Coast.
<bullet> Common dolphin,
WNA.
<bullet> Harbor porpoise,
Gulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy.
<bullet> Harbor seal, WNA.*
<bullet> Gray seal, WNA.*
<bullet> Risso's dolphin,
WNA.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Includes updated abundance estimates.
** Excluding the Sabine Lake, Mississippi River Delta, and Sarasota Bay/
Little Sarasota Bay stocks.
North Atlantic Right Whale, Western North Atlantic
The new abundance estimate calculated for the western North
Atlantic right whale stock is 368 individuals, which is a decrease from
the previous estimate of 412 individuals contained in the 2020 report.
This updated estimate is based on a published state-space model of the
sighting histories of individual whales identified using photo-
identification techniques (Pace et al. 2017, Pace 2021) and reflects
the impacts of the ongoing Unusual Mortality Event declared in 2017 for
the species (NMFS 2021).
Harp Seal, Western Atlantic
Per recommendations by the Atlantic Scientific Review Group, a PBR
was calculated for harp seal based on the minimum estimate of abundance
in Canadian waters because there is no known resident population in
U.S. waters. PBR for the western North Atlantic harp seal is 426,000;
previously the PBR was reported as unknown. The best estimate of
abundance for western North Atlantic harp seals, based on the last 2017
survey, is 7.6 million (95 percent Confidence Intervals 6.5-8.8
million; DFO 2020).
Pacific Reports
In 2021, NMFS reviewed all 85 stocks in the Pacific region (waters
along the west coast of the United States, within waters surrounding
the main and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and within waters
surrounding U.S. territories in the Western Pacific) for new
information, and revised SARs for 22 stocks (6 strategic and 16 non-
strategic). A list of revised SARs in 2021 for the Pacific region is
presented in Table 3. Information on the remaining Pacific region
stocks can be found in the final 2020 SARs (Carretta et al. 2021).
Table 3--List of Marine Mammal SARs in the Pacific Region Revised in
2021
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strategic stocks Non-strategic stocks
------------------------------------------------------------------------
<bullet> False killer whale, Main Hawaiian <bullet> Baird's beaked
Islands Insular. whale, California/Oregon/
Washington.
<bullet> Hawaiian monk seal.* <bullet> Common Bottlenose
dolphin, California/Oregon/
Washington Offshore.*
<bullet> Killer whale, Eastern North <bullet> Short-beaked common
Pacific Southern Resident.* dolphin, California/Oregon/
Washington.*
<bullet> Humpback whale, California/Oregon/ <bullet> Long-beaked common
Washington. dolphin, California/Oregon/
Washington.*
<bullet> Fin whale, California/Oregon/
Washington.
<bullet> Blue whale, Eastern North <bullet> Dall's porpoise,
Pacific. California/Oregon/
Washington.
<bullet> Harbor porpoise,
Monterey Bay.*
<bullet> Harbor porpoise,
Morro Bay.*
<bullet> Harbor porpoise,
Northern California
Southern Oregon.*
............................
<bullet> Harbor porpoise,
San Francisco Russian
River.*
<bullet> Minke whale,
California/Oregon/
Washington.
<bullet> Northern Elephant
seal, California breeding.
<bullet> Northern right
whale dolphin, California/
Oregon/Washington.*
<bullet> Pacific White-sided
dolphin, California/Oregon/
Washington.*
<bullet> Striped dolphin,
California/Oregon/
Washington.*
<bullet> False killer whale,
Northwest Hawaiian
Islands.*
<bullet> False killer whale,
Hawaii Pelagic.*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Includes updated abundance estimates.
Updated Abundance Estimates for California Current Stocks
The majority of the revised Pacific SARs contain new abundance
estimates from the California Current Ecosystem Survey using a
consistent analysis approach. Given the heterogeneity of the 2018
survey coverage in the California Coastal Ecosystem study area, Species
Distribution Models were used to estimate abundance for numerous U.S.
West Coast marine mammal stocks rather than using design-based
analytical approaches. The use of species distribution models for
density and abundance estimation is well-established for this region
and models incorporate changes in species abundance and habitat shifts
over time.
[[Page 58890]]
References
Carretta et al. 2021. U.S. Pacific Marine Mammal Stock Assessments:
2020, U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-
SWFSC-646.
DFO 2020. 2019 status of Northwest Atlantic harp seals, (Pagophilus
groenlandicus). Department of Fisheries and Oceans. DFO Can. Sci.
Advis. Sec. Sci. Rep. 2020/020. 14 pp.
Hayes, S.A., E. Josephson, K. Maze-Foley, P.E. Rosel, and J. Turek.
2021. US Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico marine mammal stock assessments
2020. NOAA Tech Memo NMFS-NE-271. 403 pp.
Muto, M. M., V. T. Helker, B. J. Delean, N. C. Young, J. C. Freed,
R. P. Angliss, N. A. Friday, P. L. Boveng, J. M. Breiwick, B. M.
Brost, M. F. Cameron, P. J. Clapham, J. L. Crance, S. P. Dahle, M.
E. Dahlheim, B. S. Fadely, M. C. Ferguson, L. W. Fritz, K. T. Goetz,
R. C. Hobbs, Y. V. Ivashchenko, A. S. Kennedy, J. M. London, S. A.
Mizroch, R. R. Ream, E. L. Richmond, K. E. W. Shelden, K. L.
Sweeney, R. G. Towell, P. R. Wade, J. M. Waite, and A. N. Zerbini.
2021. Alaska marine mammal stock assessments, 2020. U.S. Dep.
Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-AFSC-421, 398 p.
NMFS. 2021, August 11. 2017-2021 North Atlantic Right Whale Unusual
Mortality Event. <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/2017-2021-north-atlantic-right-whale-unusual-mortality-event">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/2017-2021-north-atlantic-right-whale-unusual-mortality-event</a>.
Pace, R.M. 2021. Revisions and further evaluations of the right
whale abundance model: improvements for hypothesis testing. NOAA
Tech Memo NMFS-NE 269. 54 pp.
Pace, R.M., III, P.J. Corkeron and S.D. Kraus. 2017. State-space
mark-recapture estimates reveal a recent decline in abundance of
North Atlantic right whales. Ecol. and Evol. 7:8730-8741. DOI:
10.1002/ece3.3406
Dated: October 19, 2021.
Evan Howell,
Director, Office of Science and Technology, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-23225 Filed 10-22-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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