This proposal will support the washington department of fish & wildlife (WDFW), oregon department of fish and wildlife (ODFW), and california department of fish and wildlife (CDFW) to implement…

This Project Grant award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the Congressionally Identified Awards and Projects program (CFDA 11.469) will provide $2,000,000.00 in funding to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to implement conservation plans and secure an Incidental Take Permit under the Endangered Species Act. The funding will support the completion of a NEPA analysis and the implementation of monitoring provisions in the conservation plans to reduce the risk to endangered marine life, including humpback whales, blue whales, and leatherback sea turtles. This project aims to ensure that commercial Dungeness crab fisheries in these states are compliant with the Endangered Species Act.

This proposal will support the washington department of fish & wildlife (WDFW), oregon department of fish and wildlife (ODFW), and california department of fish and wildlife (CDFW) to implement conservation plans (CP) necessary to secure an incidental take permit (ITP) as required under section 10 of the endangered species act (ESA). An ITP is necessary to ensure that commercial dungeness crab fisheries are compliant with the ESA. As required, each state's CP includes a comprehensive marine life entanglement risk reduction strategy that includes robust monitoring and adaptive management programs. A nepa analysis, which evaluates if the action has the potential to cause significant environmental effects, is required as part of noaas review of these plans before an ITP can be issued. This project provides funding support to complete nepa analysis and implement monitoring provisions of conservation plans that reduce risk to ESA listed marine life including humpback whales, blue whales, and leatherback sea turtles.