Status Review and Post Delisting Monitoring Plan for the Eastern Distinct Population Segment of Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias Jubatus)
January 12, 2013
NOAA Fisheries prepared this document to: (a) evaluate the current status of the eastern Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus); and (b) assess past, present, and likely future threats to this species.
This Status Review considers the biological (demographic) criterion and the threats-based ESA listing-factor criteria set forth in the 2008 Recovery Plan for the Steller Sea Lion, Eastern and Western Distinct Population Segments (Recovery Plan) (NMFS 2008), as well as the five listing factors included in section 4(a) of the ESA, which NMFS must consider when making a determination whether a species should be removed from the list of threatened species (16 U.S.C. 1533(c)(2)(B)).
As part of this status review, NMFS reviewed and evaluated the best scientific and commercial data available. NMFS considered whether either the portion of the population breeding in California or the portion of the population within the California Current System met the definition of a DPS. NMFS determined that they did not. NMFS therefore concluded that the evaluation of the status of the eastern DPS, as currently recognized under the ESA, is appropriate.
In addition, a post-delisting monitoring plan for the eastern DPS of Steller sea lion was developed and included in this document as Appendix 3.