ESA General Information
ESA General Information
State
The State of Alaska maintains a list of endangered species under Alaska Statute 16.20.190. Inclusion on the list is based on an established set of criteria and is approved by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) Commissioner. There are currently five State-listed species: Short-tailed Albatross, Eskimo Curlew, Blue Whale, West North Pacific Humpback Whale, North Pacific Right Whale, all of which are also currently listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Federal
At the federal level, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is implemented by two federal agencies depending on species: the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), for terrestrial and freshwater species as well as 3 marine mammals (polar bear, walrus, and sea otter), or the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), for marine species. The Services consider a species endangered if it is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. A species is considered threatened if it is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range. For vertebrate species, the Services may also list a distinct population segment (DPS), based on established criteria, rather than the entire species or subspecies.
Alaska has relatively few species listed under the ESA. Many species that are rare, endangered, or have been extirpated elsewhere in the United States are thriving in Alaska. Our geographical isolation, relatively recent growth in population, limited development, small agricultural industry, conservative laws on the introduction and importation of exotic animals, and a little luck, all contribute to these relatively favorable conditions.
Permits
If you have questions about permits or regulations regarding threatened or endangered species, please contact USFWS and/or NMFS. If you need an official determination regarding whether ESA-listed species may occur in your project area, please contact one or both of these federal agencies. More permit and contact information can be found for USFWS and NMFS in the links below.
USFWS Alaska Region Contact Information
NMFS Alaska Region Contact Information
Endangered Species Coordination Team: What do we do and why?
The Endangered Species Coordination team assists in recovering imperiled populations by participating in and leading species working groups and recovery teams, as well as working with federal partners to provide additional information on the status of species throughout Alaska. In addition to working on species that are currently listed as threatened or endangered, we also work on species that are being considered for listing or are likely to be considered in the near future. The goal of this work is to take a proactive approach in research and understanding of the status of species in Alaska, with the aim of avoiding unnecessary listings to ensure conservation resources and recovery efforts can be focused on species that are truly imperiled.