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| NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division | |
|---|---|
| Name | Protected Resources Division |
| Jurisdiction | United States |
| Parent agency | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
| Headquarters | Silver Spring, Maryland |
| Chief1 name | [Position Head] |
| Website | [NOAA Fisheries] |
NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division The Protected Resources Division is an operational component within National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration focused on the conservation, recovery, and management of threatened and endangered marine species. It implements statutory mandates under key environmental laws, coordinates regionally with federal and state entities, and supports science-based decision making through partnerships with academic and nongovernmental organizations. The Division balances legal responsibilities with research, monitoring, enforcement, and stakeholder engagement to protect marine mammals, sea turtles, and endangered fish across United States waters.
The Division executes provisions of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, and interfaces with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to ensure species protections are integrated with fisheries management. It works alongside National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and regional offices such as the Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Northwest Fisheries Science Center. Core functions include recovery planning for species like the North Atlantic right whale, Cook Inlet beluga whale, and loggerhead sea turtle, permitting under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and issuing incidental take authorizations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
The Division’s origins trace to institutional developments after the promulgation of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the creation of the modern National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 1970. Its legal mandate is rooted in federal statutes including the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as interpreted through landmark cases such as Tennessee Valley Authority v. Hill and administrative rulings involving National Marine Fisheries Service consultations. Policy evolution has been shaped by amendments to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and interagency agreements with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Commerce to coordinate listings, critical habitat designations, and recovery plans for species like Atlantic sturgeon and Southern Resident killer whale.
The Division is organized regionally within NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region, Southeast Region, Northeast Region, Alaska Region, and Pacific Islands Region, with specialized branches for marine mammals, sea turtles, and endangered fishes. Functional units align with legal, scientific, and enforcement roles: permitting, recovery planning, policy, and science coordination with entities such as the Southwest Fisheries Science Center and Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center. Leadership coordinates with the National Marine Fisheries Service headquarters, regional offices, the National Ocean Service, and the Office of Law Enforcement to implement cross-jurisdictional actions, consultative processes, and strategic initiatives like critical habitat designations for Hawaiian monk seal and green sea turtle populations.
Recovery programs are species- and ecosystem-focused, addressing threats to cohorts such as North Atlantic right whale, Steller sea lion, loggerhead sea turtle, and Atlantic salmon. Actions include development of recovery plans, designation of critical habitat, and implementation of mitigation measures in collaboration with entities like the National Marine Fisheries Service regional science centers and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s aquaculture and habitat programs. The Division coordinates bycatch reduction initiatives with fishery management councils such as the New England Fishery Management Council and Pacific Fishery Management Council, and supports conservation measures under multilateral instruments like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora where relevant.
Scientific work supports status assessments, population modeling, and threat analyses using methods developed by partners including the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, and university programs at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Monitoring includes shipboard and aerial surveys for species such as right whale and humpback whale, telemetry studies for sea turtle migrations, genetic analyses for population structure, and ecosystem modeling with collaborators like the National Centers for Environmental Prediction and NOAA Fisheries Science Centers. Data products inform five-year status reviews, recovery criteria, and environmental impact analyses under the National Environmental Policy Act.
Compliance functions are carried out in coordination with the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement, the Department of Justice, and regional enforcement partners including the U.S. Coast Guard and state wildlife agencies. The Division supports enforcement through permitting frameworks for incidental take, compliance monitoring for mitigation measures, and civil and criminal referrals stemming from violations of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. Enforcement actions follow administrative procedures informed by case law such as Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. and coordinate with regional judicial districts and federal prosecutors for prosecutions.
The Division engages with academic institutions like University of Washington, University of Miami, and University of Hawaii at Manoa, conservation organizations including World Wildlife Fund, The Pew Charitable Trusts, and Ocean Conservancy, indigenous governments such as Aleut Community of Saint Paul Island, and industry stakeholders from commercial fisheries and renewable energy developers. Collaborative fora include regional fishery management councils, interagency task forces with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and international collaborations with bodies like the International Whaling Commission. Outreach emphasizes cooperative conservation agreements, recovery plan implementation with nongovernmental organizations, and stakeholder-led bycatch mitigation programs with fishery associations.
Category:National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Category:Environmental protection agencies of the United States