Sea turtles’ threatened status under review

Federal officials will conduct a worldwide review to see whether Hawaii’s green sea turtles should be classified as a population separate from other green sea turtles — an action that could result in removing Hawaii’s turtles’ protection as a "threatened species."

The announcement of the "global status review" was made Wednesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, based on a petition from the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs.

"We’re very pleased at the agency’s finding merit in our petition," said Association President Soulee Stroud.

Stroud said the association’s motivation for asking to have Hawaii’s green sea turtle removed from the threatened species list was not based on a desire to harvest it. He said the association wants to return decision-making about the turtle to citizens of Hawaii, including native Hawaiians and cultural practitioners.

Stroud, whose association has 67 clubs and 4,000 members, said the green sea turtle in Hawaii has a special place in Hawaiian culture as an aumakua or guardian and that the Hawaiian green sea turtles should be treated as a distinct population.

According to the association’s petition, on East Island in the French Frigate Shoals, where 90 percent of all nesting occurs for Hawaii’s green sea turtles, the nesting population has increased to 843 females in 2011 from 67 in 1973.

The Conservation Council of Hawaii has opposed removal of the federal protections for the green sea turtle, saying it is far from reaching recovery goals.

Hawaii’s green sea turtles have been listed by the federal government as a threatened species since 1978.

Green sea turtles are listed as endangered species in Florida and Mexico’s Pacific coast breeding colonies.

The two largest nesting populations are found on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, where 22,500 females nest per season, and Raine Island on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, with a seasonal average of 18,000 nesting females, according to NOAA.

The council has said there were also too many major threats to the long-term survival of the green sea turtle globally and in Hawaii, including the loss of nesting areas due to rising sea levels, disease and entanglement with marine debris.

The National Marine Fisheries Service, part of NOAA, is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the review.

Fisheries Service scientist Patrick Opay said by Feb. 16 his agency is required to issue a finding of whether it believes the status should be changed for green sea turtles.

Part of the review includes looking at whether Hawaii’s green sea turtles should be classified as a "distinct population segment," separate from green sea turtles elsewhere.

"This is just the beginning of the process," Opay said.

Opay said if the agency recommends a change in status, it has another year to develop rules.

Only two marine animals have been taken off the endangered and threatened species list — the gray whale in the eastern North Pacific after returning to historic high levels and the Caribbean monk seal, which became extinct.

Federal officials said studies show the nesting population of Hawaii’s green sea turtle has been increasing at a steady rate of 5.7 percent over the past three decades.

Opay said besides considering a boost in nesting populations, officials will look at threats to the population.

Comments about delisting may be submitted until Sept. 30. Details about the delisting process are available at w.nmfs.noaa.gov/ pr/listing.