Biological Opinion Archive (ESA Section 7)
Recent Opinions
- Issuance of ESA permit 16230 to NC Division of Marine Fisheries to incidentally take sea turtles in the NC inshore gillnet fishery
(September 10, 2013) - Proposal to Issue Permit 13543-01 to SCNDR re Sea Turtles
(May 15, 2013) - NOAA/NOS Office of Coast Survey's Nationwide hydrographic survey of coastal waters
(April 30, 2013) - Proposal to Issue Permit 16388 to Mark Baumgartner
(April 15, 2013)

Shortnose sturgeon
(Acipenser brevirostrum)
Photo: Nancy Haley, NOAA
Green Turtle
(Chelonia mydas)
Photo: Andy Bruckner, NOAA
2012
Nationwide Consultations
- 2012 NWTRC Proposed Military Readiness Activities
(October 16, 2012) - EPA's Vessel General Permit and Small Vessel General Permit
(November 28, 2012) - U.S. Coast Guard's National Ballast Water Management Program
(June 20, 2012) - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Nationwide Permit Program
(February 15, 2012) - EPA
- Registration of thiobencarb to EPA
(July 2, 2012) - Registration of three dinitroaniline herbicides to EPA
(May 31, 2012)
- Registration of thiobencarb to EPA
Incidental Harassment Authorizations
- Proposal to Issue IHA for South America Seismic Survey by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography
(May 2, 2012) - Issuance of IHA Seismic Survey by the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observation Over the Shatsky Rise
(March 23, 2012) - Issuance of IHA Seismic Survey by the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observation off the Marianas Islands
(February 1, 2012) - Navy HRC LOA 2012-2014: U.S. Navy training exercises in the Hawaii Range Complex
(January 10, 2012) - Navy SOCAL LOA 2012-2014: U.S. Navy Training in the Southern California Training Range
(January 9, 2012)
Scientific Research Permits
- Proposal to Issue Permit 16919 to Eye of the Whale
(October 8, 2012) - Proposal to issue permit 16803 to NMFS SWFSC for sea turtle research in San Diego Bay
(October 3, 2012) - Proposal to issue Permit 16479 to Gregory Kauffman to authorize research on humpback whales in Maui County waters, HI
(September 17, 2012) - Permitting the SE Fisheries Science Center to Increase Smalltooth Sawfish under Permit 13330
(September 4, 2012) - Proposal to Issue Permit 16134 to the Virginia Aquarium to Conduct Scientific Research on Sea Turtle
(August 27, 2012) - Proposal to Issue Permit 16325 to Dr. Jooke Robbins
(August 24, 2012) - Proposal to Issue Permit 17095 for Research on Shortnose Sturgeon in the Hudson River
(July 25, 2012) - Proposal to Issue Permit 16598 to Inwater Research Group for Research on Sea Turtles
(July 3, 2012) - Issuance of Batched Permits 15569, 16111, 16160, and 16163
(June 4, 2012) - Proposal to Issue Permit 15802 to Gregg Poulakis for Research on Smalltooth Sawfish
(June 1, 2012) - Proposal to Issue Permit 16473 to Ann Pabst for Whale Survey
(May 30, 2012) - Proposal to Issue Permit 15420 to NMFS PIFSC for Research on 27 Cetacean Species
(May 15, 2012) - Proposal to Issue Permit 16306 for Research on Shortnose Sturgeon
(May 11, 2012) - Proposal to Issue Permit 15566-01 to the SCDNR to Authorize Research on Sea Turtles
(May 3, 2012) - Permits 15575 and 16109 for research on marine mammals and sea turtles in the Atlantic Ocean from MA to NC
(May 1, 2012) - Permit 14118 to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for Cetacean Research in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
(April 27, 2012) - Permit 15634 to NMFS SWFSC for leatherback sea turtle research off the coasts of CA, WA, and OR
(April 13, 2012) - Proposal to Issue Permit 14534-02 to NMFS to Conduct Research on Humpback Whales
(April 6, 2012) - Permits (multiple) for Atlantic Sturgeon Research
(April 2, 2012) - Permit 15672 to Molly Lutcavage for research on leatherback sea turtles off the New England coast in the Atlantic Ocean
(March 7, 2012) - Permit 15844 to Susan Boudreau for Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
(February 23, 2012) - Permits 15661 and 15685 and Modification to Permit 10027-04 on sea turtles in nearshore habitats off the Northern Mariana Islands, the Hawaiian Islands, and Palmyra Atoll
(January 18, 2012) - Permit 16253 to Bonnie Ponwith, SEFSC
(January 9, 2012)
2011
Listed are biological opinions completed by the NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources Headquarters staff. You can find links to biological opinions issued by the Regional Offices at the bottom of this page.
- Permit 16194 to Bonnie Ponwith, SEFSC
(December 2011) - Navy AFAST LOA 2012-2014: U.S. Navy active sonar training along the Atlantic Coast and Gulf of Mexico
(December 2011) - Permit 15682 to research humpback whales in Puerto Rico
(December 2011) - Permit 16146 for Research on the Biology, Distribution, and Abundance of Sea Turtles at Buck Island Reef National Monument, USVI
(December 2011) - Permit 10022-02 Modification for sea turtles in the coastal bays of Northwest Florida
(December 2011) - U.S. Forest Service: Aerial Application of Long-term Fire Retardants on all U.S. Forest Service Lands
(November 2011) - LDEO IHA for Marine Seismic Survey in the Central Pacific Ocean
(November 2011) - Permit 781-1824-02 Amendment for Brad Hanson, NWFSC
(November 2011) - Permit 16439 to evaluate shortnose sturgeon populations in the Hudson River
(November 2011) - Permit 15750 to ABR, Inc., for marine mammal research in Alaska
(November 2011) - Permit 15274 to Dan Salden for research on humpback whales and Hawaiian insular false killer whales in Hawaii and Southeast Alaska
(November 2011) - Permit 16174 to Michael Salmon for juvenile green sea turtles research in Florida
(November 2011) - LDEO IHA for Marine Seismic Survey in the Central Pacific Ocean
(November 2011) - Scripps Institute of Oceanography IHA for seismic survey in western tropical North Pacific
(October 2011) - EPA's Issuance of the Office of Water's National Pollution Discharge Elimination System, Pesticides General Permit under the Clean Water Act for DC, ID, MA, and NH; Federal lands in DE, VT, and WA; and Indian lands nationwide
(October 2011) - EPA: Office of Water Pesticides General Permit [pdf]
(October 2011) - Scripps Institute of Oceanography IHA for seismic survey in western tropical North Pacific
(October 2011) - Permit 13927 to Dr. James Hain for Aerial and Vessel Surveys of North Atlantic Right Whales off the southeastern U.S.
(October 2011) - U.S. Navy Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active Sonar (SURTASS LFA) LOA
(August 2011) - U.S. Navy Mariana Islands Range Complex (MIRC) LOA
(August 2011) - USGS Geophysical Survey in the Central-Western Bering Sea and IHA [pdf]
(August 2011) - Permit 15330 to Robin Baird, Cascadia Research Collective [pdf]
(July 2011) - Permit 15552 to document sea turtle take in commercial fisheries [pdf]
(July 2011) - Permit 13330-01 (Modification) to NMFS-SEFSC for Smalltooth Sawfish Research in Florida [pdf]
(July 2011) - Permit 15488 to Dan Forster, GADNR [pdf]
(June 2011) - USGS Geophysical Survey in Gulf of Alaska
(June 2011) - U.S. Navy's Activities in East Coast Training Ranges
(June 2011) - Permit 15135 to Blake Price, NCDMR, for research on sea turtles [pdf]
(May 2011) - Permit 15677 to Bill Post, SCDNR, for Research on Shortnose Sturgeon
(May 2011) - Permit 15614 to Tom Savoy, CT DEP, for Research on Shortnose Sturgeon
(May 2011) - U.S. Navy's proposed activities on the Gulf of Alaska Temporary Maritime Training Area from May 2011-May 2013
(May 2011) - U.S. Navy's proposed activities at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport Range Complex from May 2011-May 2012
(May 2011) - Seismic survey by LDEO in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean and IHA [pdf]
(April 2011) - Permit 14245 to John Bengtson, National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML)
(April 2011) - Permit 1596-03 to NMFS SWFSC to authorize research on leatherback sea turtles off U.S. west coast
(April 2011) - Permit 14949 to Carlos Diez for sea turtle research around Puerto Rico
(April 2011) - (Corrected) Permit 13545 for Research on Cetaceans within U.S. Waters and on the High Seas
(April 2011) - (Corrected) 8 Permits and 1 Permit Amendment for research on large whale species
(April 2011) - (Corrected) Permit 14791 to Douglas Nowacek for research on North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) within waters in the North Atlantic within 50 nautical miles of U.S. east coast
(April 2011) - Modification of Permit 14726-01 to Blair Witherington for sea turtle research around Florida (associated with the NRDA post-oil spill assessment)
(April 2011) - Permit 15566 to SC DNR to authorize research on sea turtles in the southeastern U.S.
(April 2011) - U.S. Navy Activities in the Gulf of Alaska (2011-2016)
(April 2011) - Issuance of Permit to Andre Landry, Texas A&M University at Galveston (Permit 15606)
(March 2011) - Proposal to Issue Permit 14344 to the University of California-Davis, Bodega Marine Laboratory, for Captive Propagation, Disease Investigations, and Experimental Field Planting of White Abalone off Southern California
(March 2011) - Proposal to Issue Permit 15271 to authorize research on whales off the CA, OR, WA Coasts in the North Pacific Ocean
(March 2011) - U.S. Navy training operations and RDT&E activities within Gulf of Mexico (GOMEX) Range Complex and LOA (2011-2012)
(March 2011) - Issuance of Permit to Scott Kraus, New England Aquarium (Permit 15415) for research on North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) within waters of the Western North Atlantic Ocean
(March 2011) - Reinitiation of a Protected Species Conservation and Recovery Grant (NAIONMF4720374) to the Yurok Tribe to Conduct Research on Eulachon Smelt in Northern California [pdf]
(February 2011) - Proposal to issue Permit No. 14622 to Allen Foley for sea turtle research in Florida [pdf]
(February 2011) - Proposal to Issue Permit Amendment No. 13602-01 to Dr. Terrie Williams for research on marine mammals at Long Marine Laboratory and other marine mammal captive facilities in the U.S. [pdf]
(February 2011) - 2011 Authorization (LOA) for U.S. Navy Training Activities on Southern California (SOCAL) Range Complex [pdf]
(January 2011) - 2011 Authorization (LOA) for U.S. Navy Atlantic Fleet Sonar Training Activities (AFAST) [pdf]
(January 2011) - 2011 Authorization (LOA) for the US Navy to "take" Marine Mammals Incidental to the Conduct of RDT&E Activities (Panama City, Florida) [pdf]
(January 2011) - CORRECTED--Proposal to Issue Permit Modification No. 13544-01 to Jeffrey Schmid and Modification No. 13307-02to Kristen Hart for Research on Abundance and Distribution Sea Turtles [pdf]
(January 2011) - CORRECTED--Proposal to Issue Permit 14233 to Dr. Scott Kraus and Permit 14603 to the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies for Research on North Atlantic Right Whales [pdf]
(January 2011)
2010
- Proposal to issue Permit No. 15112 to Nancy Thompson for sea turtles in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean [pdf]
(December 2010) - Research on black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii) in California Channel Islands National Park [pdf]
(December 2010) - Promulgation of regulations to authorize the U.S. Navy to "take" marine mammals
incidental to the conduct of activities in GOMEX Range Complex from
November 2010 to November 2015 [pdf]
(November 2010) - Research on Abundance and Distribution of Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles in the Straits of Florida [pdf]
(November 2010) - Research on the Effects of Acoustic Deterrents to Gray Whales (Eschrictius robustus) in Central Oregon Coastal Waters.
[pdf]
(November 2010) - Permit for Seismic survey in the eastern tropical Pacific along Central and South America [pdf]
(October 2010) - Proposal to issue permit 10137-04 for studies of Hawaiian monk seals in the Hawaiian Archipelago and Johnston Atol [pdf]
(August 2010) - Proposed Issuance of Permits 14506 and 14726 for Sea Turtle Assessments [pdf]
(August 2010) - Permit 14579 for research on shortnose sturgeon in three North Carolina river basins (Chowan, Ranoke, and Cape Fear) and estuary (Albamarle Sound) [pdf]
(August 2010) - Grant to the Cowlitz Tribe to Conduct Research on Eulachon Smelt in Lower Columbia River Tributaries [pdf]
(July 2010) - Siesmic survey by the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in the northwestern Pacific Ocean over the Shatsky Rise [pdf]
(July 2010) - Grant to the Yurok Tribe to Conduct Research on Eulachon Smelt in CA [pdf]
(July 2010) - Permits for research on large whales [pdf]
(July 2010) - Permit 14534 for research on marine mammals in the Pacific basin [pdf]
(July 2010) - Permit 14791 for research on North Atlantic right whales [pdf]
(July 2010) - Permit 14097 for research on animals in the Pacific, Southern, Arctic, and Indian Oceans [pdf]
(July 2010) - permit 14186 authorizing continued maintenance of captive Guadalupe Fur Seals [pdf]
(June 2010) - Grant Award to the MS Dept of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks to Research Gulf Sturgeon in Pascagoula River Estuary [pdf]
(June 2010)
*May 2010 Signed [pdf] - U.S. Navy's proposed training activities on the Northwest Training Range, Keyport Range Complex [pdf]
(June 2010) - 2010 Authorization (LOA) for Navy's East Coast Training Ranges (Virginia Capes, Cherry Point, and Jacksonville) [pdf]
(June 2010) - Permit 14508 and 14655 for studies on sea turtles in Florida [pdf]
(June 2010) - Permit 14754 for Importation and Research on Hatchery Produced Shortnose Sturgeon [pdf]
(April 2010) - Permit 14604 for Research on Shortnose Sturgeon in the Delaware River [pdf]
(April 2010) - Permit 10022-01 for research activites and their effect on sea turtles and Gulf sturgeon [pdf]
(April 2010) - Permit 13545 for Research on Cetaceans within U.S. Waters and on the High Seas [pdf]
(Feb 2010) - Permit 13430 for Research on Pacific Harbor Seals, California Sea Lions, and Northern Elephant Seals in Washington and Oregon [pdf]
(Feb 2010)
Region-Specific Biological Opinions
- Alaska Region (AKR) Biological Opinions
- Northeast Region (NER) Biological Opinions
- Northwest Region (NWR) Biological Opinions
- Pacific Islands Region (PIR) Biological Opinions
- Southeast Region (SER) Biological Opinions
- Southwest Region (SWR) Biological Opinions
More Information
- Endangered Species Act (ESA)
- Public Consultation Tracking System (PCTS)
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Updated: September 20, 2013