1. P ETITION TO L IST P INTO A BALONE AS E NDANGERED UNDER THE ESA Rachel Aronson – raronson@uw.edu Adi Hanein – ahanein@uw.edu Amy Klein – aklein36@uw.edu Zachary Meyer – zmeyer@uw.edu University of Washington ESRM 458 Professors M. Miller and J. Marzluff March 7, 2012 (Welch 2012)

2. Outline 1. The Client 2. Pinto Abalone I. Current Status II. Population Decline III. Reasoning for Listing under ESA (Welch 2012)

3. The Client: Center for Biological Diversity Miyoko Sakashita “We work to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction. We do so through science…” “We want those who come after us to inherit a world where the wild is still alive.” (Center for Biological Diversity 2012)

4. Current Status of Pinto Abalone IUCN Red List– Endangered Canada (COSEWIC) Threatened in 1999 Endangered as of 2009 United States – Species of Concern Receives no protection under ESA

5. Pinto Abalone (Welch 2012) Marine Gastropod Broadcast spawner CaCO 3 Shell

6. Pinto Abalone Population Decline (Photo courtesy of: Independent.com)

7. Pinto Abalone Fisheries History and Continued Monitoring Commercial fisheries existed in Alaska and British Columbia, recreational fishery in Washington Poor management led to permanent fishery closures in the 1990’s Continued monitoring shows populations continue to decline Recent Pinto abalone abundance declines in the San Juan archipelago (pugetsoundscienceupdate.com)

8. ESA definition of “species” The pinto abalone is a “species” under the ESA The Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 1531 – 1544, allows any species of fish or wildlife or plants to be listed under the provisions of the act. Section 3(8) of the ESA defines “fish or wildlife” to mean “any member of the animal kingdom, including without limitation any mammal, fish, or bird…, mollusk, crustacean, arthropod, or other invertebrate…” 16 U.S.C. § 1532 (8) (emphasis added). The pinto abalone is a mollusk. The pinto abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana) was formally described as a species in 1845 by Jonas (Cox 1962). Its taxonomy and validity as a species is uncontested. It qualifies as a “species” under the Act. Petitioners seek protection for the species throughout its range in Alaska, Washington, and California.

9. ESA definition of endangered The Secretary shall by regulation promulgated in accordance with subsection (b) determine whether any species is an endangered species or a threatened species because of any of the following factors: (A) the present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range; (B) overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes; (C) disease or predation; (D) the inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; or (E) other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued existence.

10. Predation and Disease Sea OttersWithering Syndrome Synergy with Warming

11. Inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms Strict fishing regulations are too little, too late for population rebound. Climate change effects on abalone habitat are unregulated

12. Destruction of Habitat or Range Ocean Acidification: CO 2 + CO 3 2- + H 2 0 ←→ 2HCO 3 - Decreases the availability of carbonate ions in the water Carbonate ions are essential for calcifying organisms Larval survival decreases (Crim et al. 2011) Shell deformities (Crim et al. 2011)

13. Larval Recruitment ž Low densities from over harvesting ž Low fertilization success ž Global climate change o — Degraded sperm o — Decrease in eggs due to decreased food resources

14. Final thoughts: Protection for Invertebrates is Key Once listed, the Pinto Abalone would join the Black Abalone, the White Abalone and the Elkhorn and Staghorn Corals as the only marine invertebrates protected under the ESA. IUCN has considered for listing 54% of vertebrate species, compared to 1% of invertebrate species.

15. Selected References Center for Biological Diversity (CBD). 2012. “Our Mission”. http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/about/index.html Crim, R.N. 2010. Effects of ocean acidification on different life history stages of northern abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana). MSc thesis. University of British Columbia: Vancouver, Canada. Crim, R.N., Sunday, J.M. and C.D.G. Harley. 2011. Elevated seawater CO2 concentrations impair larval development and reduce larval survival in endangered northern abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 400(1-2): 272-277. (http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0022098111000499)http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0022098111000499 Endangered Species Act of 1973, Pub. L. No. 93-205, Approved Dec. 28, 1973, 87 Stat. 884. Welch, Craig. 2012. "Abalone Are Treasured — Nearly to Extinction Locally." The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009202083_abalone10m. html. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009202083_abalone10m. html