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Vol. 10 (2): November 2007 |
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NOAA signs new Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery PlanNOAA Fisheries Service signed and implemented a new Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Plan in a ceremony held on 22 August at the Waikiki Aquarium. This is the first time changes have been made to the plan since it was originally drafted in 1983. The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the world’s most endangered species, and this recovery plan is designed to help save the species from extinction. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye and William T. Hogarth, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries Service, spoke at the ceremony, while a host of honored guests including volunteers, NOAA staff, and organizations that contribute to monk seal recovery efforts looked on. NOAA Ocean Service’s Assistant Administrator John H. Dunnigan attended as well, representing NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program which will be involved in future recovery efforts for the monk seal through coordination with the new Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
Recovery plans are designed to describe the threats facing the species and the actions needed to address those threats, under an Endangered Species Act requirement. Although the monk seal population remained stable in the 1990s, the Hawaiian monk seal is in crisis because the population is now declining at a rate of about 4 percent per year. Biologists estimate the current population at about 1,200 individuals. Biologists’ models predict the species’ population will fall below 1000 animals within the next three to four years. This places the Hawaiian monk seal among the world’s most endangered species. “The Hawaiian monk seal is a treasure to be preserved for future generations,” said Hogarth. “This new recovery plan is a positive step to save them from possible extinction.” For more than two decades, NOAA scientists have worked to manage and study the population. Although their numbers would be much lower if nothing had been done, significant and potential threats continue to threaten this species. Most importantly, very low survival of juvenile animals, believed to be principally related to food limitation, has persisted for many years across much of the population. Unless the numbers of young females increase, biologists fear there will not be enough reproductive animals in the population for recovery to occur. This new version of the recovery plan is significant since it addresses these and other threats, and details the management and research needed to give monk seals the best chance for survival. Although most of the monk seal population is found in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, now part of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument; the new plan also addresses the growing population in the main Hawaiian Islands.
Senator Daniel K. Inouye said, “The Hawaiian monk seal is the only species of seal in the world whose natural habitat is entirely contained within the borders of a single nation – the United States of America. As a nation, therefore, we bear a grave responsibility – a responsibility that falls most directly on us, here in Hawaii, who are closest to this most cherished of marine mammals. I am pleased to report to you that in my estimation, we have risen to meet the challenge. For over ten years, we have studied and intervened on the monk seal’s behalf. From direct observation and protection of monk seal populations, to careful surveys of their habitat, to the development of management principles to preserve their environment, the plan we announce today rests securely on a history of intense dedication and commitment.” The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is celebrating 200 years of science and service to the nation. From the establishment of the Survey of the Coast in 1807 by Thomas Jefferson to the formation of the Weather Bureau and the Commission of Fish and Fisheries in the 1870s, much of America’s scientific heritage is rooted in NOAA. NOAA Fisheries Service is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation’s living marine resources and their habitat through scientific research, management and enforcement. NOAA Fisheries Service provides effective stewardship of these resources for the benefit of the nation, supporting coastal communities that depend upon them, and helping to provide safe and healthy seafood to consumers and recreational opportunities for the American public. – NOAA, 22 August 2007. Further informationNMFS. 2007. Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi). 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation. National Marine Fisheries Service Pacific Islands Regional Office, Honolulu, Hawaii, August 2007: 1-15. [PDF NMFS. 2007. Response to Public Comments on the Recovery Plan for the Hawaiian Monk Seal (Monachus schauinslandi). National Marine Fisheries Service Pacific Islands Regional Office, Honolulu, Hawaii, August 2007: 1-6. [PDF NMFS. 2007. The Hawaiian monk seal, in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, 2003. Thea C. Johanos, Jason D. Baker (eds.). NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-PIFSC-9, March 2007: 1-161. [PDF NOAA. 2007. Recovery Plan for the Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi). Revised. National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: 1-165. [PDF
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Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument map. |
NOAA issued a Notice of Violation and Assessment (NOVA) of civil penalty in the amount of $61,000. The NOVA was issued to ASTARA Company LLC, the owner, and Robert Flores, the operator, of the fishing vessel ASTARA for alleged violations in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
The NOVA includes three counts of entering the monument and unlawfully harvesting monument resources. The owner and operator also are charged with possessing fishing gear that was not stowed or unavailable for use. The NOVA includes an additional count of failing to possess a valid Hawai‘i longline permit, which is not a monument violation but is in violation of other federal regulations.
While commercial bottom-fishing continues to be allowed in the monument for a limited time for those already in possession of valid Federal bottom-fish permits, all other commercial and recreational fishing is prohibited in the monument.
“NOAA takes its stewardship responsibilities in the new monument seriously,” said Dale Jones, director of NOAA’s Office for Law Enforcement. “The monument is spread over an immense area in a relatively remote location. It is home to a wide variety of natural resources including the endangered Hawaiian monk seal and threatened and endangered sea turtles. The monument co-trustees are committed to enforcing the prohibitions established by the Presidential Proclamation and protecting these resources through hard work and the cooperative efforts of law enforcement partners like the U.S. Coast Guard.”
Following receipt of the NOVA, the vessel’s owner and operator may admit the alleged violations and pay the assessed civil penalty, attempt to resolve the matter through settlement or request a hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). They may appeal any adverse decision by the ALJ to the NOAA Administrator and then to the U.S. District Court.
The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is managed jointly by three co-trustees – the Department of Commerce, Department of the Interior and the state of Hawai‘i – and represents a cooperative conservation approach to protecting the entire ecosystem. The monument area includes the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve, the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge/Battle of Midway National Memorial, the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge, the Hawai‘i State Seabird Sanctuary at Kure Atoll, and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands State Marine Refuge. – NOAA, 21 August 2007.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources for Hawaii (DLNR) has charged a Wai‘anae man with violations of state lay gillnet rules which are believed to have caused the death of a male monk seal that became entangled in a net set in waters offshore of Makua beach.
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Entanglement remains one of the most serious mortality factors and causes of decline affecting the Hawaiian monk seal. Here, a monk seal is being rescued from entanglement in marine debris. |
Necropsy of the seal, conducted by NOAA's Fisheries Service, revealed that the seal’s death was probably caused by drowning. Another monk seal death attributed to drowning in a lay gill net occurred on October 16, 2006 near the Makai Pier on O‘ahu, making the total two deaths within a 12 month period.
On Sunday May 27, about 4 p.m. a DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) officer on routine patrol of the state Makua Beach Park was stopped by a park visitor who reported that a monk seal was stuck in fishing net offshore and might be dying. The witness also reported that a second seal might also be entangled.
The officer swam out to the seal about 100 feet from shore and dived down to find the seal entangled in a gillnet, and floating head down in about 20 feet of water. The seal appeared to be dead. The officer was able to cut the seal free, and with the help of two beachgoers was able to haul the body onto the beach.
“We are saddened by the tragic death of this rare endangered Hawaiian monk seal,” said Allan Smith, DLNR interim chairperson.
“We commend and thank the witnesses who were on scene, for their prompt action and assistance. A second and perhaps a third monk seal death may have been prevented by their actions, since at least two other seals were in close proximity to the dead seal and gillnet. I would also like to commend our Conservation and Resources Enforcement Officer who tried to save the seal,” said Smith.
DLNR Conservation Enforcement Officers began an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the seal’s death and were later joined by the NOAA Fisheries Service, Office of Law Enforcement (OLE).
On Friday June 1, 2007, a man identified at the scene on the day of the seal’s death, John P. Kahalekii, 52, was charged with violations of DLNR Hawai‘i Administrative Rule 13-75-12.4 for failure to visually inspect his gillnet; failure to register the lay net; and deployment of a lay net longer than 125 feet in length.
The person charged is cooperating with the continuing investigation. Additional state and/or federal charges are possible.
Violations of state gillnet rules relating to the killing of an endangered species is punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 and a jail term not to exceed 30 days or both for the first offense when it involves an endangered species. Persons responsible for the death of an endangered species like the Hawaiian monk seal may be made to pay the state restitution and an additional fine of up to $10,000 for each specimen of an endangered species killed.
“We urge net fishers to follow all applicable rules and use their nets in a responsible fashion," said Dan Polhemus, Division of Aquatic Resources administrator. "Continued violations of this type can put the State in a difficult position in terms of compliance with the Endangered Species Act, and it would be very unfortunate if the actions of a few individuals were to compromise the future use of nets by fishers state-wide."
“This Hawaiian monk seal death was preventable and can only be viewed as tragic, unnecessary and unacceptable” said Gary D. Moniz, DLNR Chief of Enforcement. “To make matters worse our investigation has revealed that the lay (gill) net used in this case was illegally deployed and did not meet current net use requirements”.
DLNR urges anyone who witnesses a monk seal entanglement or any other marine-related violation to call the NOAA Fisheries hotline for marine mammal health issues (including strandings and entanglements) at 1-888-256-9840.
Or call DLNR’s new 24 hour DLNR Hotline at 643 – DLNR (643 – 3567) to report these and other natural resource violations as quickly as possible.
Please try to obtain as much detailed information about the violation as possible so that investigating officers can follow-up and confront the violators.
Information that is helpful to an investigation includes vehicle license plate numbers, colour, make and model of vehicles and boats, physical descriptions of the violators, names of the violators if known, boat and trailer identification numbers, and details of incident. It is also important to leave a contact phone number or e-mail address so that conservation officers can call back and clarify the information received. – DNLR, 7 June 2007.
Currently a team of approximately 50 volunteers routinely assist NOAA's Pacific Island Regional Office (PIRO) and Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) in monk seal response issues. Volunteers assist with the following:
If you are interested in volunteering with the Oahu Monk Seal Response Team or would like more information please contact , Marine Mammal Response Coordinator at PIRO. – PIRO/NOAA.
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Citizen’s Guide. |
Wide-ranging information on the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is becoming available through the protected area’s website.
Announcements and periodical newsletter updates are also available by email by subscribing to the List Serve.
Apart from other reports and news published online, the site is also making available for download a beautifully-illustrated 15-page Citizen’s Guide to the NWHI monument and its inhabitants, published by NOAA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the State of Hawaii.
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument. 2007. A Citizen’s Guide. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the State of Hawaii: 1-15. [PDF 
2.9 MB]
NOAA will present its framework for developing the Natural Resources Science Plan for the NWHI Monument at a scoping meeting on November 15, 2007, reports KAHEA.
The framework, in principle, will form the founding guidance on which the NWHI Natural Resources Science Plan will be developed. Ultimately, the Natural Resources Science Plan will determine what kind of research is allowed and funded in the Monument, and when and where it will occur. The public will have a mere 15 days to review and provide input on this important piece of Monument planning.
KAHEA is working with partner organizations to ensure that the Natural Resources Science Plan addresses the information needs for the proper management of the NWHI. In preparation for the 15-day window for public comment, we have provided some useful background information: a summary of 100 scientists' consensus on the research and information needs of the NWHI [PDF 420 KB]. – KAHEA.
Man films self harassing seal
Myspace video could cost him $25,000
An Alaska man who posted an online video that appears to show him harassing a Big Island monk seal might be in trouble with federal authorities.
Conservation officials say the incident has been referred to federal agents, and the 22-year-old man from Juneau, identified on his Myspace Web site simply as Chris, could face a $25,000 fine under the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Titled "This thing wanted a piece of me," the Aug. 19 video on myspacetv.com shows a furious mother seal making repeated charges at the camera on what local scientists believe is a remote stretch of beach on the northern shore of the Big Island.
At one point, the mother appears to partially roll on top of her pup. Baring her teeth and lunging, the animal chases the camera, letting out hissing yelps. By the time the 2 1/2-minute video concludes, the animal appears exhausted. […]
The posting brought an outcry from the local marine science community and from many Web site viewers, who berated the man in blog postings. […]
"The point we would like to stress is that the individual in question was harassing a mother seal with a newborn nursing pup, and this is a most critical stage for the species development and survival," said Jason Turner, assistant professor at the Marine Science Department of the University of Hawaii and Hilo.
There are between 80 and 120 monk seals in the Main Hawaiian Islands. Only eight to 12 new pups are born each year. It is recommended that people stay at least 150 feet away from monk seals, and it is illegal to kill, capture or harass the animals.
"Harassing a monk seal is bad, but harassing a mom and pup is really bad," [David] Schofield said [marine mammal response coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offices on Oahu]. "We need every pup to survive. If she's stressed, the mother may abandon the pup. The pup was only about a week old when this individual did what he did." […] (Bret Yager, Tribune-Herald, 8 September 2007)
http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/articles/2007/09/08/local_news/local02.txt
Monk seal moves to more isolated digs
Federal crews remove the 13-month-old beast from a populated area
Wildlife officials have relocated an overly "friendly" young Hawaiian monk seal from the Big Island's North Kohala Coast to a less populated area on the Puna Coast.
The 13-month-old female was "becoming friendly with people, letting people pet her and swim with her," said David Schofield, marine mammal response coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Pacific islands region.
It is hoped the more remote location will allow the seal, dubbed "O-42" by scientists, "to have a second try at her childhood and learn to grow up as a monk seal, not a person," Schofield said yesterday. […] (Diana Leone, Honolulu Star Bulletin, 28 August 2007)
http://starbulletin.com/2007/08/28/news/story08.html
We cannot risk losing Hawaiian monk seal
Some 100 years ago, Mark Twain called Hawai'i "the loveliest fleet of islands that lies anchored in any ocean." We have shamefully squandered much of Hawai'i's beauty, and the Islands now have the dubious distinction of being the endangered species capital of the world.
One of those endangered species is the Hawaiian monk seal, endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, with a population in critical decline. Limited food sources, marine debris and human interaction have taken their toll. The seals are also an easy prey for sharks.
Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service implemented a recovery plan to turn around that decline. NOAA hopes to get at least $1.8 million in federal money next year to set up a captive care program to feed and protect juvenile female seals. The plan details more than $30 million in funding over the first five years.
It will be tempting for Congress to make protecting Hawaiian monk seals a low priority. That would be a mistake – what must not get lost is our responsibility to be good stewards of the land and sea. […] (Opinion, The Honolulu Advertiser, 27 August 2007)
With monk seal pups dying, new help on way
Efforts around Hawaiian islands shifts from protection to reproduction
HONOLULU - Young female Hawaiian monk seals will be raised in captivity as part of a new plan to save their diminishing population from extinction.
The federal recovery plan will nab about 50 malnourished young seals each year, put them in protective custody to help them survive their early years, and then release them back into the ocean to start new families. […]
This plan is a departure from previous efforts to save the monk seals because it emphasizes breeding instead of protection from predators like sharks, said William Hogarth, assistant administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service.
"What we've been doing has not been working, and now we need to focus on reproduction," Hogarth said at a ceremony Wednesday at the Waikiki Aquarium where he signed the recovery plan. […]
To start, the program will cost $1.8 million per year in federal money, which Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye said he would work to provide.
"Well-meaning citizens come up to me almost every day saying, 'Why spend money saving a seal? Don't we have enough?'" Inouye said at the aquarium. "I want my grandsons and ... granddaughters to see a monk seal – a live one, not a toy, not a poster." (MSNBC, 24 August 2007)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20424401/
Saving monk seals
A new program aims to protect the animals from starvation in their first years of life
Helping Hawaiian monk seals survive their crucial first few years is the key to a new recovery plan for the endangered species announced yesterday. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hopes that bolder steps will reverse a steep decline in the number of seals.
"As most of you know, the Hawaiian monk seal is in crisis, declining at a rate of 4 percent a year," William Hogarth, NOAA Fisheries administrator, told Hawaii wildlife professionals and supporters yesterday at the Waikiki Aquarium. The current population of 1,200 seals is expected to drop below 1,000 in the next three to four years, Hogarth said. […]
The biggest threats to the seals are starvation at an early age or being killed by Galapagos sharks or entanglement in marine debris.
"Outside of Hawaii, very few people are aware of monk seals," said U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii. "We who are interested should make it a point to tell other people about the monk seal and why it's important." Inouye said he will seek $2.6 million for the monk seals this year, which would amount to about $2,100 per living seal.
"He will do whatever it takes to keep the monk seals from extinction," Hogarth said of Inouye. NOAA's recovery plan calls for $30 million in spending over the next five years to:
http://starbulletin.com/2007/08/23/news/story03.html
Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal Population Continues to Decline
[…] Anthropologist Joe Heakock is one of a handful of dive masters who take small groups to the remote waters near Niihau Island to see the seals. "A true seal is perfectly made for water, totally hydrodynamic and you see their little flippers do this little side to side switch thing… they are fast and beautiful."
For the past three years, Heakock has taken more than 1,000 divers to see the seals in their natural habitat along dramatic lava formations and vertical rock walls running 90 meters straight down. A solitary monk seal often stays close to the divers.
"Monk seals are the most endangered marine mammal we have in the United States, so there is a lot of concern about making sure that they will be around for future generations to see,” said Heakock. “But from what biologists are saying we may only have 12 to 15 years to enjoy them." (Zulima Palacio, VOA News, 11 June 2007)
http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2007-06/2007-06-11-voa18.cfm?CFID=191754257&CFTOKEN=65962197
EndQuoteRethinking Hawaiian monk seal conservation For more than two decades, great effort has been made to manage, study, and recover the Hawaiian monk seal. However, actions to date have not been sufficient to result in a recovering population. The species status would undoubtedly have been worse but for these actions. Nonetheless, significant threats face this species:
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Copyright © 2007 The Monachus Guardian. All Rights Reserved |
