Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation

Dr. Thane Wibbels was contracted by the Services to gather and synthesize information regarding the status of the Kemp's ridley sea turtle. This review was subsequently compiled by a team of biologists from the National Marine Service's (NMFS) Headquarter Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) Southeast and Southwest Regional Offices and the Jacksonville and Corpus Christi Ecological Services Field Offices. Our sources include the final rule listing this species under the Act; the recovery plan; peer-reviewed scientific publications; unpublished field observations by the Services, State, and other experienced biologists; unpublished survey reports; and notes and communications from other qualified biologists. The draft status review was sent out for peer review to six academic and one retired government research professionals with expertise on the species and its habitats. Peer reviewers were provided guidance to follow during the review process. Comments received from peer reviewers were incorporated into the status review document (see Appendix). The public notice for this review was published on April 21, 2005, with a 90 day comment period (70 FR 20734). A few comments were received and incorporated as appropriate into the 5-year review. 2007 United States. Endangered Species Act of 1973 Kemp's ridley sea turtle NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) OPR (Office of Protected Resources) Library Public Domain 2092