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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries is developing a revised proposed rule to designate critical habitat for the Hawaiian monk seal in the main and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. In response to a 2008 petition from the Center for Biological Diversity, Kahea, and the Ocean Conservancy to revise Hawaiian monk seal critical habitat, NOAA Fisheries published a proposed rule in June 2011 to revise Hawaiian monk seal critical habitat by adding critical habitat in the main Hawaiian Islands and extending critical habitat in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Proposed critical habitat includes both marine and terrestrial habitats (e.g., foraging areas to 500 meter depth, pupping beaches, etc.). To address public comments on the proposed rule, NOAA Fisheries is augmenting its prior economic analysis to better describe the anticipated costs of the designation. NOAA Fisheries is analyzing new tracking data to assess monk seal habitat use in the main Hawaiian Islands.

Statement of Need:

Hawaiian monk seal critical habitat was last designated in 1988. Since the 1988 designation, new information regarding Hawaiian monk seal habitat use has become available. A revision to this designation would allow NMFS to more accurately define those features and areas that are important to support Hawaiian monk seal conservation by modifying existing critical habitat in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and proposing critical habitat in the main Hawaiian Islands. NMFS published a proposed rule to designate critical habitat in 2011. The agency has made changes to the 2011 proposed rule in response to public comment, and now plans to release a second, revised proposed rule to provide an opportunity for the public to comment on these changes.

Summary of the Legal Basis:

Endangered Species Act

Alternatives:

In the 2011 proposed rule, NMFS considered the alternative of not revising critical habitat for the Hawaiian monk seal, the alternative of designating all potential critical habitat areas, and the alternative of designating a subset of all potential critical habitat areas, excluding those areas where the benefits of exclusion outweigh the benefits of designation in accordance with 4(b)(2) of the Endangered Species Act. Under the preferred alternative NMFS proposed for designation 10 specific areas in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and 6 specific areas in the main Hawaiian Islands which support terrestrial pupping and haul-out areas as well as marine foraging areas. Within four of the main Hawaiian Islands specific areas, NMFS proposed exclusions to reduce the impacts to national security.

Anticipated Costs and Benefits:

The economic analysis is currently being revised to reflect changes in response to public comments received. The primary benefit of designation is the protection afforded under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, requiring all Federal agencies to insure their actions are not likely to destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat. In addition to these protections, the designation may also result in other forms of benefits including, but not limited to: educational awareness and outreach benefits, benefits to tourism and recreation, and improved or sustained habitat quality. The designation of critical habitat typically does not impose additional costs in occupied habitat, where Federal agencies are already required to consult with NMFS as a consequence of the listed species being present. However, in unoccupied habitat the rule may impose administrative costs on Federal agencies as well as costs on Federal agencies and third parties stemming from project modifications to mitigate impacts to critical habitat.

Risks:

The Endangered Species Act requires designation of critical habitat following the listing of a species. If critical habitat is not designated, the species will not be protected to the extent provided for in the Endangered Species Act, posing a risk to the species continued existence and recovery.