U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

NOAA’s Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), jointly referred to as the Services, announced today their joint determination that the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is globally comprised of nine distinct population segments (DPSs) that qualify as “species” for listing as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The Federal Register notice, scheduled to publish on March 16, will formally announce the findings on petitions to list the North Pacific and Northwest Atlantic populations of the loggerhead as DPSs with endangered status and proposes to list nine separate loggerhead DPSs worldwide, including the two petitioned populations.

“Following a thorough assessment of the global loggerhead populations it was clear the nine populations were distinct,” said Eric Schwaab, NOAA assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service.   "Our joint analysis of the nine loggerhead DPSs also lead us to the finding that two of these populations should be proposed for listing as threatened, while the other seven should be proposed for listing as endangered.”  The two DPSs proposed as threatened are the South Atlantic Ocean and the Southwest Indian Ocean.  The seven DPSs proposed as endangered are the North Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean, Southeast Indo-Pacific Ocean, North Indian Ocean, Northwest Atlantic Ocean, Northeast Atlantic Ocean, and Mediterranean Sea.

Loggerhead sea turtles are currently listed as threatened throughout their range.

In August 2007, the Services completed an ESA five-year review of the loggerhead turtle and recommended that the species be fully examined in accordance with the DPS policy to determine whether the species exists as DPSs and, if so, what the status of those DPSs is. On July 16, 2007, the Services received a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and Turtle Island Restoration Network requesting that loggerhead sea turtles in the North Pacific be reclassified as a DPS with endangered status, and that critical habitat be designated. On November 16, 2007, the Services received a second petition from CBD and Oceana requesting that loggerhead turtles in the Northwest Atlantic be reclassified as a DPS with endangered status and that critical habitat be designated.

On November 16, 2007 and March 5, 2008, respectively, the Services announced their 90-day findings that the requested actions may be warranted and that they would proceed with an assessment of the loggerhead’s listing status. Subsequently, a Loggerhead Biological Review Team (BRT) was formed. The BRT evaluated the species in accordance with the DPS policy to determine whether DPSs existed, and then evaluated the status of each DPS. This effort resulted in a formal Status Review of the Loggerhead Turtle in August 2009. The BRT status report then underwent independent peer review by nine scientists with expertise in loggerhead sea turtle biology, genetics, and modeling.

Specific information sought includes the following areas relative to loggerhead turtles within the nine proposed DPSs:
   
    (1) historical and current population status and trends,
    (2) historical and current distribution,
    (3) migratory movements and behavior,
    (4) genetic population structure,
    (5) current or planned activities that may adversely impact loggerhead turtles, and
    (6) ongoing efforts to protect loggerhead turtles.