Environmental Assessment of the Effects of Permit Issuance for Research and Recovery Activities on Steller Sea Lions

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposes to issue permits and permit amendments for scientific research on Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in the wild, pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The purpose of the proposed permits and amendments is to allow an exemption to the moratoria on takes established under the MMPA and ESA. The permits would allow for takes of threatened and endangered Steller sea lions for scientific research purposes. The need for the research is related to monitoring the population status and better understanding the cause(s) of the population decline in order to develop conservation and protective measures to ensure Steller sea lion recovery. The objective of the proposed research is to collect information on life history, foraging behavior, habitat use, physiology, population status and trends, survival and reproductive rates, and condition of Steller sea lions in the North Pacific. Scientific research permits are generally categorically excluded from the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) requirements to prepare an environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact statement (EIS) (NAO 216-6). However, when the activities that would be authorized in a scientific research permit would have uncertain environmental impacts or unique or unknown risks, would establish a precedent or decision in principle about future proposals, may result in cumulatively significant impacts, or may have any adverse effects upon endangered or threatened species and their habitats, the preparation of an EA or EIS is required. Because some of the proposed research may result in adverse effects on threatened and endangered Steller sea lions, NMFS determined that further environmental review was warranted to determine whether significant impacts could result from issuance of the proposed permits. Therefore, this document evaluates the relevant effects of a variety of scientific research activities on Steller sea lions under several alternative permitting options.

美国国家海洋渔业局（National Marine Fisheries Service, NMFS）拟针对野生北海狮（Eumetopias jubatus）的科学研究签发许可证及许可证修正案，依据为经修订的《1972年海洋哺乳动物保护法》（Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, MMPA；16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.）与经修订的《1973年濒危物种法》（Endangered Species Act of 1973, ESA；16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.）。本次拟修订的许可证及修正案的核心目的，是豁免《海洋哺乳动物保护法》与《濒危物种法》中确立的捕获禁令。该许可证将允许为科学研究目的，捕获受威胁及濒危的北海狮。此项研究的必要性，在于监测种群现状、深入解析种群下降的成因，从而制定保护与管护措施以保障北海狮的种群恢复。本次拟开展研究的目标，是收集北太平洋海域内北海狮的生活史、觅食行为、栖息地利用、生理状态、种群现状与趋势、存活率与繁殖率，以及个体健康状况等相关信息。
科学研究许可证通常可被归类排除在《1969年国家环境政策法》（National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, NEPA；42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.）中关于编制环境影响评价报告（Environmental Assessment, EA）或环境影响报告书（Environmental Impact Statement, EIS）的要求之外（NAO 216-6）。然而，若科学研究许可证授权的活动存在不确定的环境影响、独特或未知风险，或将为未来提案确立先例或原则性决策，或可能产生累积性重大影响，或对濒危或受威胁物种及其栖息地造成任何不利影响，则需编制环境影响评价报告或环境影响报告书。
鉴于部分拟开展的研究可能对受威胁及濒危的北海狮造成不利影响，美国国家海洋渔业局认定需开展进一步的环境审查，以评估签发拟议许可证是否会造成重大影响。因此，本文件针对多种备选许可证方案，评估各类科学研究活动对北海狮的相关影响。