To report stranded / entangled marine mammals:

Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires Federal agencies to ensure that actions they authorize, fund, or carry out do not jeopardize the existence of any species listed under the ESA, or destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat of any listed species. Thus, Section 7 requires consultation by the Federal ‘action agency’ (the agency authorizing, funding, or carrying out the action) with the appropriate regulatory agency, either the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for marine species, or the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) for terrestrial and freshwater species.

The purpose of this webpage is to provide Federal action agencies or their representatives with information and materials needed to consult with NMFS on Federal actions affecting ESA-listed marine species in the Pacific Islands Region (Hawaii, the Marianas, American Samoa, and the Pacific Remote Island Area). Action agencies need to know what ESA-listed species or designated critical habitat occur in their project areas. The ‘Species Lists’ links below provide lists of ESA-listed marine species occurring in the Hawaiian Archipelago (including the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands), the Marianas Archipelago (the Territory of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas), and the Territory of American Samoa. The only designated critical habitat for any of these species in the Pacific Islands Region is for the Hawaiian monk seal in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

For Federal actions occurring within the range of ESA-listed species, action agencies need to determine if ESA consultation is required. If ‘no effect’ to listed species is expected, then consultation is not required. If listed species may be affected, then consultation is required. If consultation is required, action agencies should provide the appropriate documentation. The ‘Action Agency Consultation Package’ links below provide information to help action agencies determine if ESA consultation is necessary (Flow Chart and Effects Determination Guidance). A Word or "doc" file is provided that action agencies may use to document effects determination for their own files (Effects Determination Record). Word templates are also provided to assist action agencies in initiating ESA consultation with NMFS (Templates for Consultation Request Letter and Biological Assessments-Biological Evaluations).

Green turtle off North Shore of Oahu.
Photo: Colleen Wisniewski

• An Assesement Framework for Conducting Jeopardy Analysis (pdf, Oct 2004, 238 kB)