White Shark Programmatic Environmental Assessment

Thank you for your interest in the Programmatic Environmental Assessment. It is anticipated to be released in Spring 2012 and will be posted here.

Please direct any comments or questions to:

Irina Kogan, Permit Coordinator
Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary

Or

Carliane Johnson, Consultant
SeaJay Evironmental, LLC

Why a Programmatic Environmental Assessment?

In September 2010, Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary staff released a draft environmental assessment (EA) to analyze the potential impacts of issuing a new permit for Dr. Domeier to allow the attraction of white sharks in the sanctuary. The purpose of the proposed research project is to improve our understanding of the full migratory cycle of white sharks by attaching location transmitters to up to 11 white sharks that seasonally visit the sanctuary. The draft document included public comments and new information that was analyzed in consultation with scientific experts in shark biology and research methods.

More recently, satellite data from female white sharks that were tagged by Dr. Domeier near Guadalupe Island, Mexico, are providing additional information on the locations where they give birth; areas that may not be the same for female Farallon sharks. These findings, which are expected to be scientifically peer-reviewed for publication, as well as a new peer-reviewed book on white shark ecology that is expected to be published soon, may provide valuable information toward evaluating proposed white shark research in the sanctuary.

Given this new information, and the fact that other researchers currently studying white sharks in the Gulf of the Farallones have expressed interest in extending their existing permit, the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries decided to develop a more comprehensive programmatic EA that would analyze all white shark permitting actions in the Gulf of the Farallones. Hence, instead of completing the revised draft EA that focused only on Dr. Domeier’s permit application for his tagging project, the programmatic assessment is being broadened to include the full range of probable scientific research methodologies, as well as activities involved in attracting white sharks for tourism-related projects in the sanctuary.

The programmatic EA is an effective way for the sanctuary to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires NOAA to consider both the direct and cumulative effects of activities affecting white sharks. Under this approach, future permit applications for white shark-related activities would be evaluated by sanctuary staff in the context of the wider analysis provided in the programmatic EA. As a result, white shark researchers may not be required to prepare a separate EA if their project is sufficiently covered in the programmatic EA. However, projects that fall outside the scope of the programmatic EA may require additional review. Once the draft programmatic EA has been completed, the sanctuary anticipates the document will be available for public comment and review in Spring 2012.