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Headlines – News – Articles
23rd August, 2011
Media Watch, KITV, 23 August 2011
KURE ATOLL, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands — Untangling seals, applying stealth treatments, and searching for a killer. Scientists have had an exhausting season trying to manage our monk seal population. “The animal is entangled around the neck,” explained Dr. Charles Littnan at a news conference on Tuesday, pointing to a monk seal tangled in debris. Dr. Littnan and a team of 15 just returned from Kure Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. They’ve spent the past two weeks detangling seals from the constant waves of debris, counting and tagging newborns, reuniting some with their families, and trying to stop overly aggressive attacks — especially by one called KE18. [...]
Video: Hawaii Teams Rescue Monk Seals
22nd August, 2011
— Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara
Within the framework of the Second International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas, which is being organised in Fort-de-France, Martinique, from 7-11 November 2011 by the French National MPA Agency, a workshop is being planned on the role of MPAs in the conservation of monk seals.
Building on the results of a previous meeting, which took place during the First international Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas (Maui, March 2009), the aim of this workshop will be to further explore ways in which the MPA tool can be used to protect the two extant critically endangered representatives of Monachus which still survive in their respective Mediterranean, North Atlantic and Hawaiian habitats. Emphasis of this workshop will be to emphasize the differences of the challenges posed to conserving the two species, and on such basis to explore the pros and cons of MPA establishment, as opposed to the implementation of “conventional” conservation measures.
In order to make plans for the monk seal workshop and to allow a structuring of its programme, it would greatly help me to have an idea of who is likely to attend. If you intend participating to the ICMMPA in Martinique next November, and if you are interested in attending the monk seal workshop, I would appreciate it if you could kindly let me know. It would be also great to know if you have any direct experience in the field of monk seal MPAs and conservation (in the Mediterranean, the North Atlantic or Hawaii) that you would be willing to share during the workshop.
Feedback will be particularly appreciated if sent to the email address below before the end of August, thank you.
Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara — giuseppe@disciara.net
18th August, 2011
Media Watch, The Garden Island, 16 August 2011
 A controversial decision by federal officials to “lethally remove” an adult Hawaiian monk seal that was attacking — and apparently killing — pups at Kure Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands had to be put on hold: The seal was nowhere to be found.
“We have basically missed our opportunity for his removal for this year, and we will begin reviewing our options for dealing with his aggression for next year,” said Charles Littnan, head of the Hawaiian monk seal research program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [...]
Source: Monk seal escapes sealed fate, The Garden Island, 16 August 2011
18th August, 2011
Media Watch, Honolulu Civil Beat, 11 August 2011
 Hawaiian monk seals and local fishermen haven’t been getting along very well. And fishermen aren’t happy about a proposal to extend a conservation zone around the main Hawaiian islands to further protect the endangered species.
This was the message conveyed to representatives of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration throughout two hours of heated testimony on Thursday at Ala Moana Beach Park.
More than 60 people turned out for the public hearing to discuss the proposal that would expand the critical habitat area for the seals, which have been protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1976. It is illegal to harass or kill the seals. [...]
But the plight of the monk seal hasn’t swayed many fishermen, if the testimony at the public hearing is any indication.
“They’re more of a nuisance than anything else right now,” said Brandon Hu. “I fish a lot at night. One of those seals started hiding under my boat. It takes fish from my lines, then my partner’s line. We’re losing fish left and right. We moved three miles down the coast. The monk seal started following us. They are already trained to be looking for our boats for a free handout.”
While only 153 monk seals are believed to be trolling the waters around the main Hawaiian islands, fishermen complained about the economic effects the seals were having on their fishing operations and their concern about the population growing. [...]
Source: Fishermen oppose extra protections for Hawaiian monk seals, Honolulu Civil Beat, 11 August 2011
14th August, 2011
Media Watch, Hawaii News Now, 12 August 2011
Scientists who planned to kill a monk seal at Kure Atoll can’t find the animal.
They were supposed to leave the island on Thursday, but decided to stay until Friday [12 August] to continue the search for the aggressive male seal. [...]
Source: Monk seal to be killed at Kure Atoll reported missing, Hawaii News Now, 12 August 2011
6th August, 2011
Media Watch, Hawaii News Now, 6 August 2011
 NOAA says it plans to euthanize one and possibly two adult male Hawaiian monk seals at Kure Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands this month to protect female monk seals and pups.
In a news release the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument on Friday said that the male adult seals have been attacking and mortally wounding young female seals and pups at Kure over the last several years.
The news release says, the agencies responsible for management of the Monument are mandated to mitigate potential threats to an endangered species as well as respond to imminent threats and take all specific regulatory actions to aid the recovery of the species. Managers made the decision now due to the severe threat to the population at Kure.
“None of the managing agencies take this action lightly,” said Monument Management Board Chair Dan Polhemus. “The Board is in a very difficult situation with one of the toughest issues we have faced. If we do not take action, we risk additional young female seals being injured or killed by these males, and losing their future potential to reproduce and help increase the decimated monk seal population.” [...]
NOAA says it has a five day window to euthanize the seals, the last day being August 10.
Source: NOAA plans to euthanize “rogue” monk seals, Hawaii News Now, 6 August 2011.
2nd February, 2011
NOAA announcement, 1 February 2011
 The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO) has published the Scoping Summary Report for the Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Actions PEIS, which presents a public record and summary of the scoping activities that occurred from October 1, 2010 through November 30, 2010. The report can be viewed online.
In the coming months, the Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Actions Draft PEIS will be released and a 60-day public comment period will be announced.
13th November, 2010
NOAA / PIRO [via Benn Levine, Environmental Resources Management (ERM), www.erm.com]
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO) is proposing to implement specific management actions and administer the associated research and enhancement program for Hawaiian monk seals in the Hawaiian Islands. Public comments were due by November 15, 2010. NMFS has decided to allow additional time for submission of public comments on this action (75 FR 69398-69399). The scoping period for the PEIS is extended to November 30, 2010. Written comments must be received or postmarked by November 30, 2010.
→ Continue reading Hawaiian monk seal recovery actions – PEIS scoping period extension
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