National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Cape Lookout National Seashore North Carolina CAPE LOOKOUT NATIONAL SEASHORE INTERIM PROTECTED SPECIES MANAGEMENT PLAN / ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT March 2006 Printed on recycled paper CONTENTS Summary.................................................................................................................................................xii PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR ACTION Purpose of and Need for Action................................................................................................................1 Purpose of the Plan ...............................................................................................................................1 Need for Action.....................................................................................................................................1 Objectives in Taking Action .....................................................................................................................1 Project Site Location.................................................................................................................................2 Background...................................................................................................................................................7 Summary of Protected Species Management at Cape Lookout National Seashore..................................8 Protected Bird Species ..........................................................................................................................9 Sea Turtles ..........................................................................................................................................11 Recreation and Protected Species Management .....................................................................................12 Scoping Process and Public Participation...................................................................................................14 Issues and Impact Topics ....................................................................................................................14 Impact Topics......................................................................................................................................15 Impact Topics Considered but Dismissed from Further Analysis ......................................................16 Related Laws, Policies, Plans, and Actions ................................................................................................22 Guiding Laws and Policies .....................................................................................................................22 NPS Organic Act of 1916 ...................................................................................................................22 Code of Federal Regulations, Title 36 (1992).....................................................................................23 NPS Management Policies 2001.........................................................................................................23 Director’s Order 12: Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis, Decision Making and Handbook............................................................................................................................................25 Cape Lookout National Seashore Purpose and Significance ..................................................................25 Cape Lookout National Seashore Planning Documents .....................................................................26 Other Seashore Plans, Policies, and Actions.......................................................................................28 Other Federal Laws, Executive Orders, Regulations, and Policies.....................................................30 State and Local Laws, Regulations, and Policies................................................................................33 ALTERNATIVES Alternatives.................................................................................................................................................35 Alternative A: No-Action Alternative, Continuation of Current Management ..........................................39 INTERIM PROTECTED SPECIES MANAGEMENT PLAN/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT iii Species Surveying and Management ......................................................................................................39 Recreation ...........................................................................................................................................40 Outreach and Compliance...................................................................................................................41 Cost of Implementation.......................................................................................................................41 Elements Common to All Action Alternatives ...........................................................................................42 Alternative B: Increased Buffer Zones and Increased Surveying...............................................................45 Species Surveying and Management ......................................................................................................45 Recreation Use........................................................................................................................................46 Outreach and Compliance.......................................................................................................................46 Cost of Implementation...........................................................................................................................47 Alternative C: Adaptive Species Management; Increased Surveying, Enforcement, and Education.........48 Species Surveying and Management ......................................................................................................48 Recreation ...............................................................................................................................................48 Outreach and Compliance.......................................................................................................................49 Cost of Implementation...........................................................................................................................49 Alternative D: Increased Species Protection Areas, Education, and Outreach (Preferred Alternative)......51 Species Surveying and Management ......................................................................................................51 Federally-Listed Species Conservation Measures ..................................................................................52 Recreation ...............................................................................................................................................53 Outreach and Compliance.......................................................................................................................54 Cost of Implementation...........................................................................................................................54 How Alternatives Meet Objectives.............................................................................................................55 Alternatives Considered but Rejected.........................................................................................................56 Closures for Birds and Turtles Should be Kept to a Minimum...............................................................56 Open Turtle Closures after Hatchlings Have Gone out to Sea................................................................56 Increase Fines for People Breaking Rules ..............................................................................................56 Environmentally Preferred Alternative.......................................................................................................57 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT Affected Environment.................................................................................................................................91 Federally Listed Special Status Wildlife and Plant Species........................................................................91 Piping Plover...........................................................................................................................................91 Piping Plover in North Carolina..........................................................................................................91 Breeding Biology................................................................................................................................94 iv CAPE LOOKOUT NATIONAL SEASHORE Nonbreeding and Wintering Plovers at Cape Lookout National Seashore .............................................97 Sea Turtles ............................................................................................................................................101 Loggerhead Turtle.............................................................................................................................103 Green Turtle......................................................................................................................................105 Leatherback Turtle............................................................................................................................106