NOAA Fisheries News Releases
NEWS RELEASE
March 18, 2008
Sheela McLean, Public Affairs
(907) 586-7032
NOAA Fisheries begins Steller Sea Lion Protection Measures EIS
The Alaska Region of NOAA Fisheries and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council are planning to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) analyzing the impacts of possible changes to Steller sea lion protection measures for the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries.
NOAA Fisheries has opened a scoping period to collect public input for the EIS.
“The goal of changes will be to make sure that new scientific information improves measures protecting Steller sea lions and their habitat while alleviating any unnecessary restrictions for the fishing fleet and minimizing impacts to the coastal communities,” said Doug Mecum, Acting Administrator for the Alaska Region of NOAA Fisheries.
“Scoping brings out ideas that help shape what comes through the process,” said Mecum. “I hope people take time to send us their written comments, including potential impacts and alternatives that should be considered in revising the Steller sea lion protection measures.” The formal public scoping period will close April 21, 2008.
Instructions for submitting written comments and more detail can be found at: http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/seis/sslpm/2008/
NOAA Fisheries published the Steller Sea Lion Protection Measures Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement in 2001. The new EIS will supplement that document and incorporate new information about environmental consequences of possible revisions to the Steller sea lion protection measures.
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Steller Sea Lion Mitigation Committee has collected proposals from the public for changes to the protection measures and is evaluating and prioritizing these proposals for Council consideration in June 2008. The public is invited to participate in Steller Sea Lion Mitigation Committee meetings and Council meetings where the latest scientific information regarding Steller sea lions and fisheries interactions are being reviewed and alternative protection measures are being developed and evaluated.
Future Steller Sea Lion Mitigation Committee and Council meetings will be announced in the Federal Register and on the website at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc/.
Current scientific information and related analytical documents can be found at stellersealions.noaa.gov.
For further information contact; Gretchen Harrington at (907) 586–7228 or gretchen.harrington@noaa.gov.
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries Service) is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation’s living marine resources through scientific research, management, enforcement, and the conservation of marine mammals and other protected marine species and their habitat. To learn more about NOAA Fisheries in Alaska, please visit our websites at: alaskafisheries.noaa.gov or at: www.afsc.noaa.gov.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 70 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.