Biological Opinions by the NOAA Fisheries' Office of Protected Resources

Find biological opinions issued by our national Office of Protected Resources.

National

NOAA Fisheries helps federal agencies comply with the requirements of the Endangered Species Act whose purpose is to conserve ecosystems upon which endangered and threatened species depend. NOAA Fisheries' Office of Protected Resources issues biological opinions to document our opinions on how federal agencies’ actions affect ESA-listed species and designated critical habitat.

How to Locate a Consultation

Biological opinions issued within the last five years are linked below by action agency. Opinions for pesticide consultations with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are listed separately, on our Pesticide Consultations page.

The Environmental Consultation System (ECO) is available to search ESA Section 7 consultations from 2017 to present.

Biological opinions issued since 2010 may also be found in the NOAA library repository.

If you are looking for a biological opinion from an ESA Section 7 consultation completed before 2019 that is not available in ECO, you may send an email with specific details on your request to NMFS.Historic.Consultations@noaa.gov.

Biological opinions are issued by our regional offices as well.

Coast Guard

Project Title	ECO/PCTS Reference Number	DOI Number / NOAA Repository Link	Signature Date
Biological and Conference Opinion on the Use of Dispersants and In-Situ Burning in the United States (U.S.) Region IV	OPR-2020-02942	https://doi.org/10.25923/9tgg-f590	3/8/2021
Programmatic Letter of Concurrence on the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Events Program, U.S. Caribbean	FPR-2017-9233	http://doi.org/10.7289/V5M906WX	12/15/2017
Biological Opinion on the Use of Dispersants and In-Situ Burning in the United States (U.S.) Caribbean	FPR-2017-9214	https://doi.org/10.7289/v5gh9g6h	12/15/2017

Department of the Interior

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Project Title

ECO/PCTS Reference Number

DOI Number / NOAA Repository Link

Signature Date

Biological Opinion on the Federally Regulated Oil and Gas Program Activities in the Gulf of Mexico

Amended Incidental Take Statement and Revised Appendices, April 24, 2021

OPR-2017-00002 /

FPR-2017-9234

https://doi.org/10.25923/hyeh-mb74

03/13/2020 ; 04/21/2021

Biological Opinion on the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's Issuance of Five Oil and Gas Permits for Geological and Geophysical Seismic Surveys off the Atlantic Coast and NOAA Fisheries' Issuance of Incidental Harassment Authorizations under the MMPA

FPR-2017-9227 (ION);

FPR-2018-9244 (Spectrum);

FPR2018-924a5 (TGS);

FPR-2018-9246 (WesternGeco);

FPR-2018- 9247 (COG);

https://doi.org/10.25923/t4qs-jc72

11/28/2018

Environmental Protection Agency

Project Title	ECO/PCTS Reference Number	DOI Number / NOAA Repository Link	Signature Date
Biological Opinion on Environmental Protection Agency Approval of Virginia’s Adoption of Criteria for Aluminum in Freshwater	OPR-2023-00181	https://doi.org/10.25923/fz8p-1d49	12/13/2023
Biological opinion on EPA approval of water quality standards for Delaware and Maryland	OPR-2022-030402	https://doi.org/10.25923/8ker-zz05	04/28/2023
Biological opinion on EPA approval of water quality standards for North Carolina	OPR-2022-02170	https://doi.org/10.25923/srcs-cy22	02/09/2023
Biological opinion on EPA approval of water quality standards for Massachusetts and New Hampshire	OPR-2022-00204 and OPR-2022-00203	https://doi.org/10.25923/qpdk-0m23	08/31/2022
Reissuance of the Pesticide General Permit for Discharge of Pesticide Pollutants into Waters of the United States	OPR-2021-00534	https://doi.org/10.25923/6t26-q959	07/29/2021
Biological and Conference Opinion for the Issuance of the 5-Year Multi-Sector General Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Industrial Activity, Pursuant to the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System	OPR-2019-04051	https://doi.org/10.25923/nn0q-q605	01/06/2021
Biological Opinion on Environmental Agency's approval of Florida's proposed water quality criteria for 4-nonyphenol	FPR-20 I7-9229	https://doi.org/10.7289/V5/BO-NMFS-FPR-2017-9229	02/28/2018
Letter of Concurrence on Peñuelas Technology Park, LLC Resource Conservation Recovery Act Remedial Action in the Cooling Water Canal	FPR-2017-9235	https://doi.org/10.7289/V5KK9928	11/07/2017

*Note that opinions specific to pesticide consultations with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are listed separately and can be found on the our Pesticide Consultations page.

Department of Defense

Project Title	ECO/PCTS Reference Number	DOI Number / NOAA Repository Link	Signature Date
Reinitiation of the Biological Opinion on (1) U.S. Navy Training Activities in the Gulf of Alaska Temporary Maritime Activities Area (TMAA) and Western Maneuver Area (WMA); and (2) the NMFS’s Promulgation of Regulations and Issuance of a Letter of Authorization Pursuant to the MMPA for the U.S. Navy to “Take” Marine Mammals Incidental to TMAA and WMA Activities from December 2022 through December 2029	OPR-2020-03704	https://doi.org/10.25923/yty7-7691	01/03/2023
Biological and Conference Opinion on (1) U.S. Navy Northwest Training and Testing Activities (NWTT); and (2) the National Marine Fisheries Service’s promulgation of regulations and issuance of a letter of authorization pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act for the U.S. Navy to “take” marine mammals incidental to NWTT activities from November 2020 through November 2027	OPR-2019-00786	https://doi.org/10.25923/7034-6a18	10/19/2020
Biological Opinion on (1) United States (U.S.) Navy Mariana Islands Training and Testing Activities; and (2) the National Marine Fisheries Service’s promulgation of regulations and issuance of a letter of authorization pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act for the U.S. Navy to “take” marine mammals incidental to Mariana Islands Training and Testing activities from August 2020 through August 2027	OPR-2019-00469	https://doi.org/10.25923/6r20-b791	07/10/2020
Programmatic Biological and Conference Opinion on the Towing of Inactive U.S. Navy Ships from their Existing Berths to Dismantling Facilities or other Inactive Shop Sites	FPR-2017-9228	https://doi.org/10.25923/sw62-zf21	03/04/2019
Biological Opinion on U.S. Navy Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing and the National Marine Fisheries Service's Promulgation of Regulations Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act for the Navy to "Take" Marine Mammals Incidental to Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing	FPR-2018-9275 OPR-2018-00619	https://doi.org/10.25923/sfby-kr24	12/10/2018
Biological and Conference Opinion on U.S. Navy Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing and the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Promulgation of Regulations Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act for the Navy to “Take” Marine Mammals Incidental to Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing	FPR-2018-9259 OPR-2017-00058	https://doi.org/10.25923/q5ed-re39	10/18/2018
Biological Opinion on (1) U.S. Military Mariana Islands Training and Testing Activities; and (2) the National Marine Fisheries Service's Promulgation of Regulations and Issuance of a Letter of Authorization Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act for the U.S. Navy to "Take" Marine Mammals Incidental to Mariana Islands Training and Testing Activities from August 2020 through August 2027	OPR-2019-00469	https://doi.org/10.25923/6r20-b791	07/10/2020
Biological and Conference Opinion on United States Air Force, Eglin Gulf Testing and Training Range (EGTTR) Activities	FPR-2016-9151	https://doi.org/10.7289/V5SN0714	01/13/2017
Biological and Conference Opinion on U.S. Navy Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active Sonar Routine Training, Testing, and Military Operations and Associated National Marine Fisheries Service Letters of Authorization	OPR-2019-00120	https://doi.org/10.25923/ftj1-yj21	07/30/2019

Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM)

Project Title	ECO/PCTS Reference Number	DOI Number / NOAA Repository Link	Signature Date
Biological Opinion on the Provision of Financing of Eligible U.S. Goods and Services to be Used in the Mozambique Liquefied Natural Gas Project in Mozambique	OPR-2019-03473	https://doi.org/10.25923/xej0-qh91	03/20/2020

NOAA Fisheries - Scientific Research Permits

Project Title	ECO/PCTS Reference Number	DOI Number / NOAA Repository Link	Signature Date
Biological Opinion on the Issuance of Incidental Take Permit No. 23148 to Exelon Generating Company, LLC, for Operation of Eddystone Generating Station	OPR-2019-03367	https://doi.org/10.25923/kh0z-qg97	06/19/2020
Biological and Conference Opinion on the Proposed Implementation of a Program for the Issuance of Permits for Research and Enhancement Activities on Cetaceans in the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Southern Oceans	OPR-2018-00019	https://doi.org/10.25923/xe8c-kg31	08-22-2019
Biological Opinion on Long Term Operation of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project	WCRO-2016-00069	https://doi.org/10.25923/f6tw-rkl	10/21/2019
Biological and Conference Opinion on the Issuance of Scientific Research Permit Nos. 20648 to Dr. Heidi Pearson for Research on Marine Mammals in the Gulf of Alaska and Southeast Alaska, 21482 to Dr. Dan Engelhaupt, HDR, Inc. for Research on Marine Mammals in the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Southern Oceans, and 21938 to the Southeast Fisheries Science Center for Research on Marine Mammals in the Western North Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea	OPR-2018-00023 (FPR-2019-9292)	https://doi.org/10.25923/33z5-pm15	05/17/2019
Biological Opinion on the Issuance of Scientific Research Permit No. 21485 to Jooke Robbins (Center for Coastal Studies) for Research on Marine Mammals in the Western North Atlantic Ocean	FPR-2018-9279	http://doi.org/10.25923/y50z-n425	12/19/2018
Biological and Conference Opinion on the Issuance of Scientific Research Permit No. 21585 to Oregon State University (Dr. Bruce Mate) for Research on Marine Mammals in the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Southern Oceans	FPR-2018-9277	http://doi.org/10.25923/b9bh-4z81	12/06/2018
Biological and Conference Opinion on the Proposed Implementation of a Program for the Issuance of Permits for Research and Enhancement Activities on Threatened and Endangered Sea Turtles Pursuant to Section 10(a) of the Endangered Species Act	FPR-2017-9230	https://doi.org/10.7289/V57S7M1R	12/21/2017
Biological Opinion on the Issuance of Permit No. 17304-03 for Scientific Research on Sea Turtles in the Gulf of Mexico	FPR-2017-9208	https://doi.org/10.7289/V5W09441	09/05/2017
Biological and Conference Opinion on the Issuance of Permit No. 18786-01 to the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program Pursuant to Sections 109(h), 112(c), 104(c) and Title IV of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Section 10(a)(l)(A) of the Endangered Species Act, and Implementation of the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program	FPR-2016-9166	https://doi.org/10.7289/V5WQ01V1	07/28/2016

Last updated by Office of Protected Resources on 12/14/2023