Environmental Assessment Sea Turtle Bycatch Reduction Research Activities at the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center

The research activities analyzed in this environmental assessment (EA) represent the major sea turtle bycatch reduction research components of the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Centre. Related research activities involving sea turtles have been previously analyzed in the Programmatic Environmental Assessment of the PIFSC's Marine Turtle Research Program (NOAA and NMFS 2006). Proposed research activities outlined and analyzed for environmental impacts in this document include: deployment of satellite archival tags on longline-caught and free swimming turtles and subsequent data analysis to determine long-term movement patterns to assist in the design of time-area fishery closures; biochemical profiling of incidentally-captured sea turtles; research involving the sensory and behavioral biology of sea turtles; and research on the effects of natural chemical and physical repellents on captive sea turtles. This analysis presents information on the anticipated effects to the human environment resulting from the proposed research activities.

The goal of the proposed research activities is to provide the marine turtle research community, and ultimately longline fisheries, with research data that will assist in reducing sea turtle bycatch in commercial longline fisheries.