Chapter 3 North Carolina’s Species
• Underwater explosions – Use of underwater explosives to remove abandoned oil platforms, for military activities, or for oil exploration can result in injury or death to marine species in the vicinity of the explosion. • Vessel interactions (including collisions) – Propeller and collision injuries are a significant threat, especially to marine mammals and sea turtles. These types of injuries are reported at higher frequencies in areas that have heavy boat and vessel traffic. 3.12.7 Additional Information Recovery plans are available for the following federally listed species that can be found in North Carolina coastal or offshore waters (NOAA 2025) . Recovery plans for federal listed marine species can be accessed at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/endangered-species- conservation/recovery-species-under-endangered-species-act.
• Green Sea Turtle • Leatherback Sea Turtle • Loggerhead Sea Turtle • Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle • Hawksbill Sea Turtle
• Shortnose Sturgeon • Right Whale • Humpback Whale
• Fin/Sei Whale • Sperm Whale
The NCWRC has published a conservation plan for five species of sea turtles that occur in coastal North Carolina, the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Green Sea Turtle, Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle, Leatherback Sea Turtle, and Hawksbill Sea Turtle. Loggerhead and Green Sea Turtles are listed as Threatened at state and federal levels, while the Kemp’s Ridley, Leatherback, and Hawksbill Sea Turtles are listed as Endangered at state and federal levels (NCWRC 2024b) . The plan is available online https://www.ncwildlife.gov/conserving/sea-turtle-species-conservation-plan- 2024/open. Take reduction teams (TRTs) have been formed and convened with the purpose of developing take-reduction plans to assist in the recovery or to prevent the depletion of strategic marine mammal stocks that interact with various commercial fisheries. A strategic stock is one which is listed as endangered or threatened under the ESA, is declining and likely to be listed as threatened under the ESA, is listed as depleted under the MMPA, or has direct human-caused mortality exceeding the stock’s Potential Biological Removal level (see Glossary). These TRTs consist of a balance of representatives from the fishing industry, fishery management councils, state and federal resource management agencies, the scientific community, and conservation organizations. To date, several TRTs have been established and represent Atlantic coast resources.
More information on the TRTs and the take reduction plans developed for marine mammal stocks can be found online at the NOAA Fisheries webpage
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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