Ringed, Ribbon, Spotted and Bearded Ice Seals
Bearded and Ringed Seals
Endangered Species Act (ESA) Listings NEW!
NOAA Fisheries is listing four subspecies of ringed seals and two distinct population segments of bearded seals under the Endangered Species Act (ESA):
- Bearded seals: the Beringia and Okhotsk distinct population segments (DPSs) will be listed as threatened
- Ringed seals: the Arctic, Okhotsk, and Baltic subspecies will be listed as threatened, while the Ladoga subspecies will be listed as endangered
Listing Information
A ringed seal pup peeks out from its protective snow cave near Kotzebue, Alaska. Photo: Mike Cameron, NOAA's National Marine Mammal Laboratory
- News Release: December 2012 NEW!
- Final determination to list the Beringia and Okhotsk distinct populations segments (DPSs) of the Erignathus barbatus nauticus subspecies of the bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). NMFS will propose to designate critical habitat for the Beringia DPS in a future rulemaking. This final rule is effective on February 26, 2013. Replies to the request for information regarding designation of critical habitat for the Beringia DPS must be received by February 26, 2013.
- Final determination to list the Arctic (Phoca hispida hispida), Okhotsk (Phoca hispida ochotensis), and Baltic (Phoca hispida botnica) subspecies of the ringed seal (Phoca hispida) as threatened and the Ladoga (Phoca hispida ladogensis) subspecies of the ringed seal as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). NMFS will propose to designate critical habitat for the Arctic ringed seal in a future rulemaking. This final rule is effective on February 26, 2013. Replies to the request for information regarding designation of critical habitat for Arctic ringed seals must be received by February 26, 2013.
- Frequently Asked Questions (8.5x11) and larger format (11x17) December 2012
- Designating critical habitat - Questions and Answers
Previous ESA Listing-Related Actions
Special Peer Review
- Notice of availability and opening of comment period on a special independent peer review of the December 2010 status review report of the bearded seal.
- Notice of availability and opening of comment period on a special independent
peer review of the December 2010 status review
report of the ringed seal.
- Report on Special Independent Peer Review of the Ringed Seal (Phoca hispida) Status Review Report, March 2012
- Report on Special Independent Peer Review of the Bearded Seal (Erignathus barbatus) Status Review Report, March 2012, (Minor correction to report (p. 2), 04/05/12)
- News Release: April 5, 2012
Extension of final determinations
- 76 FR 77465, December 13, 2011. NMFS extends the date for the final determination regarding the proposed rule (75 FR 77496, December 10, 2010) to list two distinct population segments of bearded seals as threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. A final determination on this listing action will be made no later than June 10, 2012.
- 76 FR 77466, December 13, 2011. NMFS extends the date for the final determination reguarding the proposed rule (75 FR 77476, December 10, 2010) to list four subspecies of the ringed seal as threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. A final determination on this listing action will be made no later than June 10, 2012.
- News Release: NOAA extends final decision on listing some ringed and bearded seals as threatened.
- Public Comment Analysis Report for the proposed Endangered Species Act listing of the Beringia and Okhotsk distinct populations segments of bearded seals and the Arctic, Okhotsk, Baltic and Ladoga subspecies of ringed seals as threatened, July 2011
Status Review
- 75 FR 77476, December 10, 2010. Notice of completion of a comprehensive status review of the ringed seal under the
Endangered Species Act and an announcement of a 12-month finding on a petition to list the ringed seal. Proposed rule to list the Arctic, Okhotsk,
Baltic, and Ladoga subspecies as a threatened species. Comment period extended through March 25, 2011.
- References cited
- Status Review of the Ringed Seal, December 2010
- 75 FR 77496, December 10, 2010. Notice of completion of a comprehensive status review of the bearded seal under the Endangered
Species Act and an announcement of a 12-month finding on a petition to list the bearded seal. Proposed rule to list the Beringia and the Okhotsk bearded seals as threatened species.
Comment period extended through March 25, 2011.
- References cited
- Status Review of the Bearded Seal, December 2010
- News Release: December 3, 2010
Petition
- 73 FR 51615, September 4, 2008. Notice of a 90–day finding on a petition to list three ice seal species as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Information and comments must be submitted by November 3, 2008.
- Center for Biological Diversity Petition to List Three Seal Species Under the ESA: Ringed Seal (Pusa Hispida), Bearded Seal (Erignathus Barbatus), and Spotted Seal (Phoca Largha), May 2008
Spotted Seals
Final ESA Listing
- 75 FR 65239, October 22, 2010. Final rule to list the southern distinct population segment of the spotted seal as a
threatened species. Effective November 22, 2010.
- Status Review of the Spotted Seal (Phoca largha), P. L. Boveng, et al., NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-AFSC-200, October 2009
- News Release: NOAA Lists Population of Spotted Seals as Threatened, October 2010
Previous ESA Listing-Related Actions
- 74 FR 53683, October 20, 2009. Notice of a completed status review of the spotted seal under the Endangered
Species Act which concludes the spotted seal exists as three distinct population segments (DPS) within the North Pacific Ocean. NMFS has determined
the southern DPS should be listed as a threatened species. Comments period through December 21, 2009. Requests for public hearings must be made in writing
and received by December 4, 2009.
- Status Review of the Spotted Seal, October 2009
- News Release, October 15, 2009
- 73 FR 51615, September 4, 2008. Notice of a 90–day finding on a petition to list three ice seal species as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Information and comments must be submitted by November 3, 2008.
- Center for Biological Diversity Petition to List Three Seal Species Under the ESA: Ringed Seal (Pusa Hispida), Bearded Seal (Erignathus Barbatus), and Spotted Seal (Phoca Largha), May 2008
Ribbon Seals
Ribbon seal. Photo: Mike Cameron, NOAA's National Marine Mammal Laboratory
ESA Status Review
- NMFS entered a settlement agreement on August 30, 2011, under which NMFS agreed to initiate a status review of the ribbon seal and complete a 12-month finding by December 10, 2012, as to whether listing this species as threatened or endangered under the ESA is warranted. On November 27, 2012, NMFS and the other parties to this agreement agreed to change the deadline to June 10, 2013. UPDATE
- 76 FR 77467, December 13, 2011. Announcement of initiation of a new status review to determine
whether listing the ribbon seal as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act is warranted. Comment period through February 13, 2012.
- News Release: NOAA to review whether ribbon seal should be listed under the Endangered Species Act
Previous ESA Listing-Related Actions
- U.S. District Court Order Denying Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgement; Center for
Biologicial Diversity and Greenpeace vs. Jane Lubchenco (NOAA), December 2010
- Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief, Center for Biological Diversity and Greenpeace, September 2009
- 60-Day Notice of Intent to Sue, Center for Biological Diversity and Greenpeace, March 2009
- 73 FR 79822, December 30, 2008. Notice of 12-Month Finding on a Petition to List the Ribbon Seal as a
Threatened or Endangered Species. Listing of the ribbon seal is not warranted at this time.
- Status Review of the Ribbon Seal, December 2008
- News Release, December 2008
- 73 FR 16617, March 28, 2008. Announcement of a 90-day finding on a petition to list the ribbon seal as a threatened or endangered species under the ESA. Comment period through May 27, 2008.
- Receipt of Petition Letter, January 2008
- Center for Biological Diversity Petition to List the Ribbon Seal as a Threatened or Endangered Species Under the ESA, December 2007
Diseased Seals
Co-Management
- Frequently Asked Questions: 11 x 8.5, 11 x 17, December 2012
- Ice Seal Management Plan, February 2012
- Letter from NMFS to the Ice Seal Committee regarding Center for Biological Diversity petition to list three ice seal species, June 2008
- Agreement between the Ice Seal Committee and NMFS for the Co-Management of Alaskan Ice Seal Populations, October 2006
Research
NMFS Research
- In the Field with Ice Seals: A Q&A with NOAA Scientist Peter Boveng
- NMML Polar Ecosystems Program
- U.S., Russia Collaborate to Study Ice Seals, 2012-2013
- Status Review of the Bearded Seal, December 2010
- Status Review of the Ringed Seal, December 2010
- Status Review of the Spotted Seal, October 2009
- Status Review of the Ribbon Seal, December 2008
- Ice Seal Abundance Survey, April 2008
- Ice Seal Breeding Ecology Cruise, April 2008
- Field Report from the Oscar Dyson, Ice Seal Research and Satellite Tagging, May 2007
- Ice Seal Operations, April 2006
- Stock Assessment Reports
- Arctic Ice Seals (species studied)
- Incidental Take and Research Permits
Associated Research
- Native Village of Kotezbue
- Bearded Ice Seal Satellite Tagging Project (external link)
- Ringed Seal Tagging Project (external link)
- State of Alaska, Department of Fish and Game Ice Seal Biological Monitoring (external link)
- Inorganic Nutrients and Contaminants in Subsistence Species of Alaska: Linking Wildlife and Human Health, International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Sara Moses, et. al., 2009
- Persistent organic pollutants in Alaskan ringed seal (Phoca hispida) and walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) blubber, Journal of Environmental Monitoring, John R. Kucklick,, et. al., 2006
Development in Beaufort and Chukchi Seas
- 77 FR 65060, October 24, 2012. NMFS has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization to ION Geophysical to take, by harassment, small numbers of nine species of marine mammals incidental to in-ice marine seismic surveys in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, Alaska, during the fall and winter of 2012. Effective October 17, 2011, through December 15, 2012.
- Point Thomson, ExxonMobil
- NMFS letter to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, September 2012
- Biological Assessment of the Bowhead Whale (Balaena mysticetus), Ringed Seal (Phoca hispida), and Bearded Seal (Erignathus barbatus) - Prepared for ExxonMobil Point Thomson Project North Slope, Alaska, URS Corporation, November 2011
- News Release: NOAA issues science-based measures to protect marine mammals
during Shell's proposed oil and gas exploratory programs in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas
- 77 FR 27322, May 9, 2012. Notice that NMFS has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization to Shell Gulf of Mexico Inc. to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to offshore exploration drilling on Outer Continental Shelf leases in the Chukchi Sea, Alaska. Effective July 1, 2012, through October 31, 2012.
- 77 FR 27284, May 9, 2012. Notice that NMFS has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization to Shell Offshore Inc. to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to offshore exploration drilling on Outer Continental Shelf leases in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska. Effective July 1, 2012, through October 31, 2012.
- Incidental Harassment Authorization, Shell's Application and NMFS' Environmental Assesment
- 77 FR 11492, February 27, 2012. Notice of availability of the "Draft Environmental Assessment for the Issuance of Incidental Harassment Authorizations for the Take of Marine Mammals by Harassment Incidental to Conducting Exploratory Drilling Programs in the U.S. Beaufort and Chukchi Seas." Comment period through March 28, 2012.
- 76 FR 39706, July 6, 2011. Notice of a request from BP Exploration Inc. for authorization for the take of marine mammals incidental to operation of offshore oil and gas facilities in the U.S. Beaufort Sea, Alaska, for the period 2011–2016. Comment period through August 5, 2011.
- 76 FR 30110, May 24, 2011. Notice of an application from Statoil USA E&P Inc. for an Incidental Harassment Authorization to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to a proposed open water shallow hazards survey in the Chukchi Sea, Alaska, between July through November 2011. Comment period through June 23, 2011.
- 74 FR 55539, October 28, 2009. Notice of NMFS and Minerals Management Service's withdrawl of their intent to prepare a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on proposed geophysical exploration using seismic surveys in the waters of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. Effective October 28, 2009.
- 74 FR 55368, October 27, 2009. Notice of issuance of an Incidental Harassment Authorization to Shell Offshore Inc. and Shell Gulf of Mexico Inc. in the Chukchi Sea, Alaska. Effective August 19, 2009, through August 18, 2010.
- 73 FR 46774, August 11, 2008. Notice of an Incidental Harassment Authorization to take marine mammals, by Level-B harassment, incidental to conducting open water shallow hazard and site clearance surveys by ASRC Energy Service in the Chukchi Sea.
- 73 FR 45969, August 7, 2008. Notice that NMFS has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization to PGS Onshore, Inc. to take, by harassment, small numbers of six species of marine mammals incidental to an exploratory 3D marine seismic survey in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska. Effective July 30, 2008, through July 29, 2009.
- Federal district court decision to uphold NOAA's issuance of an incidental harassment authorization to Shell Offshore, Inc., July 2008
- 73 FR 40512, July 15, 2008. Notice of issuance of an IHA to BP Exploration, Inc. to take, by harassment, small numbers of six species of marine mammals incidental to a 3D, ocean bottom cable (OBC) seismic survey in the Liberty Prospect, Beaufort Sea, Alaska during July and August, 2008. Effective July 8, 2008, through August 25, 2008.
- 73 FR 38990, July 8, 2008. Notice of issuance of a letter of authorization to BP Exploration, Inc. to take marine mammals incidental to the production of offshore oil and gas at the Northstar development in the Beaufort Sea off Alaska. Effective from July 7, 2008, through July 6, 2009.
- 73 FR 36044, June 25, 2008. Notice of receipt of an application from Shell Offshore, Inc. and its contractor WesternGeco for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take small numbers of marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting marine geophysical programs, including deep seismic surveys, on oil and gas lease blocks located on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) waters in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. Comment period through July 25, 2008.
- 73 FR 31816, June 4, 2008. Notice of receipt of application from Shell Offshore, Inc. for an Incidental Harassment Authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals, by harassment in the Beaufort Sea off Alaska. Comment period through July 7, 2008.
- 73 FR 9535, February 21, 2008. Notification of Incidental Harassment Authorizations (IHAs) to take marine mammals, by Level-B harassment, incidental to conducting on-ice marine geophysical research and seismic surveys by CGGVeritas (Veritas) and Shell Offshore, Inc. (SOI) in the U.S. Beaufort Sea.
- Shell Offshore, Inc. Open Water Exploration and Appraisal Drilling Program (external link)
- Beaufort Sea Seals (external link)