Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7(a)(2) Biological and Conference Opinion Continuing Operation of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery (Reinitiation of consultation #NWR-2012-876) – Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) NMFS Consultation Number: WCRO-2018-01378 ARN 151422WCR2018PR00213 Action Agency: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Affected Species and NMFS’ Determinations: ESA-Listed Species Status Is Action Is Action Is Action Is Action Likely Likely to Likely To Likely to To Destroy or Adversely Jeopardize Adversely Adversely Affect the Species? Affect Modify Critical Species? Critical Habitat? Habitat? Humpback whale Endangered Yes No No No (Megaptera novaeangliae) – Central America DPS Humpback whale – Threatened Yes No No No Mexico DPS Consultation Conducted By: National Marine Fisheries Service, West Coast Region Issued By: _______________________________ Barry A. Thom Regional Administrator Date: October 26, 2020 ESA Section 7 Consultation Number WCRO-2018-01378 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 7 1.1. Background ..................................................................................................................................................................7 1.2. Consultation History ................................................................................................................................................ 7 1.3. Proposed Federal Action ........................................................................................................................................ 8 1.3.1 Overview of the Components and Operation of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery ............................ 8 1.3.2 Overview of Trawl Fisheries ............................................................................................................................................10 1.3.3 Limited Entry - At-sea Pacific Whiting Cooperatives ...........................................................................................11 1.3.4 Limited Entry - Shorebased IFQ Program .................................................................................................................11 1.3.5 Limited Entry - Fixed Gear ................................................................................................................................................12 1.3.6 Open Access Fishery ...........................................................................................................................................................13 1.3.7 Tribal Groundfish Fisheries..............................................................................................................................................13 1.3.8 Recreational Fisheries .......................................................................................................................................................15 1.3.9 Catch Monitoring ...................................................................................................................................................................15 1.3.9.1 At-Sea Pacific Whiting Sector ........................................................................................................................................16 1.3.9.2 Shorebased IFQ Sector .....................................................................................................................................................17 1.3.9.3 Fixed Gear Sector ................................................................................................................................................................17 1.3.9.4 Tribal Sector .........................................................................................................................................................................19 1.3.9.5 Recreational Sector ............................................................................................................................................................19 2. ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT: BIOLOGICAL AND CONFERENCE OPINION AND INCIDENTAL TAKE STATEMENT ................................................................................................................ 20 2.1. Analytical Approach .............................................................................................................................................. 20 2.2. Rangewide Status of the Species and Critical Habitat ............................................................................... 21 2.2.1 Climate Change ......................................................................................................................................................................21 2.2.2 Status of the Species ............................................................................................................................................................22 2.2.2.1 Mexico DPS....................................................................................................................................................................27 2.2.2.2 Central America DPS.................................................................................................................................................27 2.2.2.3 Current Assessment of Abundance and Distribution of ESA-listed Humpback Whale DPSs ... 28 2.2.3 Status of the Species’ Proposed Critical Habitat .............................................................................................................31 2.2.3.1 Mexico DPS....................................................................................................................................................................34 2.2.3.2 Central America DPS.................................................................................................................................................34 2.3. Action Area ................................................................................................................................................................ 34 2.4. Environmental Baseline ....................................................................................................................................... 36 2.4.1. Climate Change and Other Habitat Impacts ....................................................................................................................36 2.4.2. Human-caused Mortality and Injury of Humpback Whales .....................................................................................37 2.4.2.1 Mexico DPS....................................................................................................................................................................39 2.4.2.2 Central America DPS.................................................................................................................................................39 2.5. Effects of the Action ............................................................................................................................................... 40 2.5.1 Humpback Whale Effects Analysis .......................................................................................................................................40 2.5.2 Exposure and Response to Interactions with the Sablefish Pot Fishery ...................................................... 43 2.5.2.1 Bycatch Estimates ......................................................................................................................................................43 Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7(a)(2) Biological Opinion October 2020 Continuing Operation of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery (Reinitiation 2020) – Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) 2 ESA Section 7 Consultation Number WCRO-2018-01378 2.5.2.2 Bycatch Risk in the Catch Share (CS) Sector ..................................................................................................46 2.5.2.3 Opportunistic Entanglement Reports ...............................................................................................................47 2.5.2.4 Sablefish Pot Fishery Entanglements by Humpback Whale DPS .......................................................... 48 2.5.3 Risk of Trawl Interactions .................................................................................................................................................53 2.5.4 Risk of Prey Removal...........................................................................................................................................................55 2.5.5 Response to Entanglement ...............................................................................................................................................56 2.5.6 Risk for ESA-listed Humpback Whales ........................................................................................................................57 2.6. Cumulative Effects .................................................................................................................................................. 59 2.7. Integration and Synthesis.................................................................................................................................... 59 2.7.1 Mexico DPS Humpback Whales ......................................................................................................................................60 2.7.2