Today, NOAA Fisheries released new five-year action plans for the eight marine species identified as among the most at risk of extinction through NOAA\u2019s Species in the Spotlight. The goal of this campaign is to stop the decline of these species and move them toward recovery.<\/p>\n
NOAA is also looking to join with local, state and tribal governments, academic partners and the public to make sure these endangered species do not decline further.<\/p>\n
The eight species highlighted in the action plans, all listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, are the Gulf of Maine population of Atlantic salmon, Central California Coast coho salmon, Cook Inlet beluga whales, Hawaiian monk seals, Pacific leatherback sea turtles, Sacramento River winter-run chinook salmon, Southern Resident killer whales in Puget Sound, and white abalone.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe action plans will help change the trajectory to recovery for these eight extremely vulnerable species,\u201d said Eileen Sobeck, assistant NOAA administrator for NOAA Fisheries. \u201cTo ensure these species have a fighting chance at recovery, we need help from our valued partners and the public.\u201d<\/p>\n
The public can visit NOAA\u2019s Species in the Spotlight site at http:\/\/r20.rs6.net\/tn.jsp?f=001-P5ZRRuceXWHBNADn4ljSMyiK4uYVs6ShX0V1ng0sUEhXTt4gmVxFm54YM0YeKX2kW3wNskqhbwFnQc7npgHm4ueGstTin1mQE4ZYPXXn5DMAGAEvJW2SJg505YL4Ld-6EHWXf4J7jaI4_uyb0RDy3tEUOTALx5DJhQTzoB9sWtqqK-_dP1WtXc_1CzOQ9PCZYnz0k4-kaF8okFmK4QEUKQkIC4j5JRGvvlbp2DaOhnyK8L5krXDlmc6egp_Mmba&c=DHfHsYCdgScDhDTO9OyQa4IKVT7HGMGgULUqlu_S-ZUMsJ8u3hzhPg==&ch=koZ5Yr5h27tjkMe29NbXPV-N7JbUguO95UcUKRrzKJuSXbjuCBHaRg==> to learn about NOAA\u2019s science behind this effort.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"