Biological Opinion on Continued Operation of the Hawaii Deep-Set Longline Fishery, 2017
March 24, 2017
NOAA Fisheries issued a supplement in March 2017 to the biological opinion on the continued authorization of the Hawaii deep-set longline fishery.
In 2015, NOAA Fisheries reinitiated formal consultation on the 2014 biological opinion on the continued authorization of the Hawaii deep-set longline fishery. The consultation was required after the fishery exceeded the amount of incidental take for several sea turtle species. Incidental take is the unintentional, but not unexpected, taking of a protected species.
This supplement to the biological opinion addresses the effects of the continued authorization of the fishery on olive ridley, green, and the North Pacific loggerhead sea turtles, and their designated critical habitat.