Shrnutí

Popis

Population models and evaluation of trends, threats, and extinction risk require the best possible regional estimates of vital rates (averages and annual variation) and are enhanced by understanding of environmental mechanisms that drive these rates. Analyzing the vital rates of marine turtles within U.S. coastal waters is much needed if our Agency is to meet the goals set forth in the NRC Report. In conducting informal or formal ESA consultations, NMFS is required to use the best available scientific or commercial data, which may include published or unpublished data. Often critical to the jeopardy analysis later in the biological opinion are information on vital rates, as targeted in this proposal. Such information may be used in quantitative analyses of population trends and better quality and increased data will lead to less uncertainty for the agency when reaching its final conclusions. As of June 27, 2012, 10 green turtles have been injected with oxytetracycline at two foraging grounds along the southern California coast. Straight carapace lengths of these turtles ranged from 64.2 cm to 103.4 cm (Table 1). San Gabriel River and Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge are considered one foraging area because of a recapture of a green turtle in the wildlife refuge that was previously caught in San Gabriel River. Because these foraging grounds are located in urbanized and populated area, we expect to have high probability of recovering carcasses if these turtles die in the areas.