Biological Resources Information
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Appendix E – Biological Resources Information Table E-1. Marine Special Status Species of the Project Region Common Name1,2 Status Habitat Potential to Occur in Marine Study Area Scientific Name Invertebrates Coastal and offshore island intertidal habitats on Not expected to occur – Intertidal habitat within MSA exposed rocky shores to about 18 feet deep lacks kelp food resources and high relief rock reef Black abalone FE where bedrock provides deep, protective refuge habitat. Local populations of black abalone Haliotis cracherodii crevices for shelter. are extremely rare and have been limited to San Diego and Channel Islands. Coastal and offshore island intertidal habitats on Not expected to occur – Intertidal and subtidal Green abalone exposed rocky shores to at least 30 feet deep habitat within MSA lacks kelp food resources and FSC Haliotis fulgens where bedrock provides deep, protective high relief rock reef refuge habitat. crevices for shelter. Coastal and offshore island subtidal habitats from Not expected to occur – Subtidal habitat within MSA Pink abalone 20 to 118 feet deep on submerged rock reefs is outside of species’ depth range and lacks kelp FSC Haliotis corrugate where bedrock provides deep, protective food resources and high relief rock reef refuge crevices for shelter. habitat. Coastal and offshore island kelp beds found on Not expected to occur – Subtidal habitat with MSA is Pinto abalone FSC outer exposed coasts in water depths from 30 to outside of species’ depth range and lacks kelp food Haliotis kamtschatkana 330 feet deep. resources and high relief rock reef refuge habitat. Coastal and offshore island subtidal habitats from Not expected to occur - Subtidal habitat within MSA White abalone 50 to 180 feet deep where bedrock provides is outside of species’ depth range and lacks kelp FE Haliotis sorenseni deep, protective crevices for shelter. food resources and high relief rock reef refuge habitat. Fish Range from Punta Blanca, Baja California to Gulf Moderate – Potential for juveniles to occur in rock Bocaccio of Alaska in shallow rocky reefs (juveniles) and reefs within MSA but unlikely to occur in Project FSC Sebastes paucispinis migrate to water depths between 90 and 1,300 disturbance area which does not support kelp beds. feet. Sea Turtles Mainly pelagic in tropical/temperate regions of Low – In the eastern Pacific, their range extends Pacific olive Ridley sea turtle the Pacific, South Atlantic, and Indian Oceans from southern California to northern Chile. FT Lepidochelys olivacea but has been known to inhabit bays and estuaries. December 2019 E-1 CRC Grubb Lease Intake/Outfall Structures Decommissioning Project MND Appendix E – Biological Resources Information Common Name1,2 Status Habitat Potential to Occur in Marine Study Area Scientific Name Distributed globally; oceanic beaches (for Low- In eastern Pacific, sightings from Baja Green sea turtle nesting), convergence zones in the open ocean California to southern Alaska but most commonly FT Chelonia mydas and benthic feeding grounds in coastal areas south of San Diego. south of San Diego. Temperate and tropical regions of Pacific, Low – Most occurrences in California waters are Loggerhead sea turtle Atlantic, and Indian Oceans: terrestrial zone, the juveniles concentrating in areas where there are FT Caretta caretta oceanic zone, and the neritic or nearshore high densities of pelagic red crab (Pleuroncodes coastal areas. planipes). Distributed globally; seen off west coast in deep, Low – Rarely observed offshore of Ventura County Leatherback sea turtle FE pelagic waters and occasionally near Monterey and more likely to occur July through August. Dermochelys coriacea Bay Marine Mammals Mysticeti Not Expected - Relatively common farther offshore Blue whale* Worldwide, often near the edges of physical FE (56–230 miles from shore) and less common in Balaenoptera musculus features where krill tend to concentrate. shallow waters. Predominantly in nearshore coastal waters of the Moderate – Migration occurs in the Project region north Pacific from Gulf of Alaska to Baja from February through May and could be observed California gray whale P Peninsula; can be as close as a few hundred during vessel transit to the Project area, but Eschrichtius robustus yards offshore, but more commonly found 3 to 12 migratory path extends farther offshore than MSA. miles offshore. All major oceans; central California population Moderate – Migration and feeding areas occur in the migrates from winter calving and mating areas off Project region and could be observed during vessel Humpback whale FE Mexico to summer and fall feeding areas off transit to Project area, but preferred habitat occurs Megaptera novaeangliae coastal California. Humpback whales occur in farther offshore than MSA. California from late April to early December. Not Expected - Relatively common in California Fin whale* Deep, offshore waters of all major oceans; less waters March through October but prefer deep FE Balaenoptera physalus common in the tropics. water farther offshore. Common in the Bearing and Chukchi Seas, but Moderate – Could be present in the Project region Minke whale not abundant in other parts of eastern Pacific. and may be observed during vessel transit to the P Balaenopter acutorostrata Are considered year-round residents in coastal Project area, but preferred habitat occurs farther waters of California. offshore than MSA. CRC Grubb Lease Intake/Outfall Structures E-2 December 2019 Decommissioning Project MND Appendix E – Biological Resources Information Common Name1,2 Status Habitat Potential to Occur in Marine Study Area Scientific Name North Pacific Ocean; seasonally migratory; colder Not expected - Unlikely to be present in the MSA Northern right whale* waters for feeding, migrating to warmer waters because they are very rare and prefer deeper FE Eubalaena glacialis for breeding and calving; may move far out to offshore waters. sea Worldwide distribution in subtropical, temperate, Not expected – No recorded occurrences in the Sei whale* P and subpolar waters; usually observed in deeper Project vicinity; primarily occupy the open ocean Balaenoptera borealis waters of oceanic areas far from coastline. and are uncommon in California waters. Odontoceti Deep offshore waters in the north Pacific; Not expected – No recorded occurrences in the Baird’s beaked whale* common along steep underwater geologic MSA or Project vicinity; primarily occupy the open P Berardius bairdii structures (e.g., submarine canyons, seamounts, ocean. and continental slopes). Worldwide in temperate and tropical waters; both High – Commonly occur in MSA. Bottlenose dolphin P coastal and offshore populations; most common Tursiops truncates dolphins in the Southern California Bight. Common dolphins: Shallow, warmer temperate waters relatively High – Commonly occur in MSA. Long-beaked P close to shore; most abundant cetacean from Delphinus capensis Baja California northward to central California. More pelagic than the long-beaked common High - Commonly occur in MSA. Common dolphins: dolphin, can be found up to 300 nm from shore; Short-beaked P majority of populations are observed off Delphinus delphis California coast, especially in warm water months. Temperate, tropical, and subtropical waters; Not Expected – Generally occur in deeper waters associated with deep pelagic waters (usually offshore MSA. Cuvier’s beaked whale* P deeper than 3,280 feet) of the continental shelf Ziphius cavirostris and slope, and near underwater geologic features Throughout north Pacific, mainly in pelagic Not Expected – Generally occur in deeper waters Dall’s porpoise P waters deeper than 590 feet, but can be found offshore the MSA. Phocoenoides dalli both offshore and nearshore. Continental slope and open ocean; prefer warm Not Expected – Generally occur in deeper waters Dwarf sperm whale* P tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters offshore the MSA. Kogia sima worldwide. December 2019 E-3 CRC Grubb Lease Intake/Outfall Structures Decommissioning Project MND Appendix E – Biological Resources Information Common Name1,2 Status Habitat Potential to Occur in Marine Study Area Scientific Name Mesoplodont beaked whales* Occur over continental shelf and into open ocean Not Expected – Generally occur in deeper waters P Mesoplodon sp. warm waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. offshore the MSA. Endemic to deep, cold temperate waters in north Not Expected – Generally occur in colder and Northern right whale dolphin* P Pacific; occur over continental shelf and slope deeper waters offshore the MSA. Lissodelphis borealis where waters are less than 66°F (18°C). Pacific white-sided dolphin* Temperate waters of north Pacific from Not Expected – Generally occur in deeper waters P Lagenorhynchus obliquidens continental shelf to deep ocean. offshore the MSA. Continental slope and open ocean in tropical, Not Expected – Generally occur in deeper waters subtropical, and temperate Pacific waters, mostly offshore the MSA. Pygmy sperm whale* P offshore of Peru; strandings have been Kogia breviceps documented off Mexico and once each in New Zealand and Monterey Bay. All major oceans, generally in waters deeper than Not Expected – Generally occur in deeper waters Risso’s dolphin* P 3,280 feet and seaward of the continental shelf offshore the MSA. Grampus griseus and slopes. Warmer tropical and temperate waters, Not Expected - Generally found in deeper and Short-finned pilot whale* commonly found along the coast close to warmer waters than those in the