Cook Inlet Beluga Rule Open for Comment

United States Administrative Law Judge Parlen McKenna has recommended modifications to a National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) proposed rule: the modifications would allow harvesting up to six Cook Inlet beluga whales between 2001 and 2004.

The National Marine Fisheries Service's public comment period on Judge McKenna's recommendation is open until May 27.

Judge McKenna's recommendation provides for a total of up to six whales to be taken in four years by Native beluga whale hunters. The six whales are allocated among hunters through co-management agreements between the NOAA Fisheries and Alaska Native organizations.

"This rule would continue hunting restrictions that are allowing the depleted stock to recover. It would also preserve the traditional subsistence use of the marine mammals by Alaska Natives to support their cultural, spiritual, social, economic and nutritional needs," said Jim Balsiger, Regional Administrator of NOAA Fisheries in Alaska. "Cooperation among the groups who take responsibility and interest in Cook Inlet beluga whales is good. We are making progress."

"This recommended action would be effective until 2005. By then we will likely have new data which we would need to formally add into the decisions, possibly through a supplemental environmental impact statement," said Balsiger.

In 1999 and 2000, no Cook Inlet beluga whales were harvested. During 2001 one whale was taken by the village of Tyonek.

The Cook Inlet beluga whales are part of a discrete population of beluga whales that has been depleted in past years by over-hunting. Between 1984 and 1998, the population decreased by about 50 percent to an estimated population of 347 whales. The most recent population estimate is 386.

The proposed rule includes these points:

*Subsistence harvest can only occur under an agreement between NOAA Fisheries and an Alaska Native organization;

* Subsistence harvest shall be limited to six strikes in four years with no more than two strikes in any one year

* The sale of Cook Inlet beluga whale products shall be prohibited;

* All hunting for subsistence purposes shall occur after July 1 each year;

* The harvest of newborn calves, or adult whales with maternally dependent calves shall be prohibited to regulate the subsistence harvest on this population of whales

The judge's recommended decision can be found on the internet at: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/protectedresources/whales/beluga.htm

After further comments are received and considered, NOAA Fisheries will make a final decision on the proposed regulations being prepared now for the whale harvest. The decision will be published in the Federal Register.

Any comments on the recommended decision should be forwarded to: Chief, Marine Mammal Division, Office of Protected Resources, NOAA Fisheries,1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, by May 27, 2002.

NOAA Fisheries determined on May 31, 2000 that the population was depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It was determined that over-harvest was the principal factor in the decline. On October 4, 2000, following the depleted determination, NOAA Fisheries proposed regulations limiting the subsistence harvest of beluga whales in Cook Inlet, Alaska. The Marine Mammal Protection Act authorizes NOAA Fisheries to regulate subsistence harvest of any depleted population of marine mammals.

Judge McKenna held a hearing on the Cook Inlet beluga whales on December 5, 2000. The recommendations discussed here are his recommendations on modifications of the NOAA Fisheries proposed rule following that hearing.

NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) 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 website at www.fakr.noaa.gov