NOAA Fisheries News Releases
NEWS RELEASE
August 24, 2010
Julie Speegle, 907-586-7032
NOAA extends public comment timeline on Steller sea lion proposal
Juneau, AK — NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service is extending the public comment period for the draft 2010 Groundfish Biological Opinion, released earlier this month.
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council held a special meeting last week in Anchorage to review the draft biological opinion and associated analyses, including the Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review (EA/RIR). The draft biological opinion proposes changes to current management practices for groundfish fisheries in the Aleutian Islands area in an effort to stem the population decrease of Steller sea lions, an endangered species.
NOAA Fisheries will consider recommendations from the Council as well as the public when it develops the final 2010 Groundfish Biological Opinion.
In response to numerous requests to extend the timeline for comments, NOAA Fisheries is extending the original public comment deadline for the draft biological opinion, as well as the EA/RIR, from August 27 to September 3.
The draft biological opinion and draft EA/RIR are available at: http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/protectedresources/stellers/esa/biop/draft/0810.htm.
NOAA Fisheries is accepting public comment on the draft biological opinion and draft EA/RIR until 5 p.m. AKDT on September 3, 2010.
Submit comments by mail to:
Jim Balsiger
Regional Administrator
Alaska Region, NMFS
Attn: Ellen Sebastian
P.O. Box 21668
Juneau, AK 99802
Or, send by fax to: (907) 586–7557; email to: fmpbiop@noaa.gov ; or hand-deliver to the Juneau Federal Building: 709 West 9th Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK.
NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources. Visit us at http://www.noaa.gov or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/noaa.lubchenco. To learn more about NOAA Fisheries in Alaska, visit alaskafisheries.noaa.gov or: www.afsc.noaa.gov.
