This just in from Gov. Sean Parnell:
Sept. 2, 2010
State petitions to delist eastern sea lion stock, raps new BiOp
ANCHORAGE — The state of Alaska this week petitioned the federal government to remove the eastern distinct population segment of Steller sea lions from the list of species protected by the Endangered Species Act. The state coordinated its filing with Oregon and Washington, which also filed a similar petition this week.
The National Marine Fisheries Service has divided Steller sea lions into two "distinct population segments," a western DPS and an eastern DPS. The western DPS is listed as endangered; the eastern DPS is currently listed as threatened.
The eastern DPS has surpassed the recovery objectives set by NMFS and the threats facing the sea lions have been addressed, meriting their removal from the list of threatened species.
"We're working on multiple fronts to ensure that commercial fishing and other important economic activities are not blocked by unwarranted ESA regulations," Gov. Sean Parnell said. "Removing a recovered species from the list reduces needless bureaucracy and litigation risks."
The state of Alaska also submitted comments on the recent NMFS draft biological opinion, or BiOp, and the associated environmental assessment on the impact of federal groundfish fisheries on the health of the western DPS. Despite significant scientific uncertainty and an increasing population trend, the draft opinion concludes that commercial fisheries are inhibiting the recovery of two of seven subpopulations of the western DPS and calls for substantial curtailment of commercial fisheries in the western Aleutian Islands.
"The agency's conclusion that additional fishing restrictions are necessary is not supported by the best available scientific information," said Attorney General Dan Sullivan. "The drastic measures proposed by NMFS are simply not necessary given the overall health of the western DPS."
NMFS has 90 days to decide whether the delisting petition presents enough scientific or commercial evidence of recovery that removal of the eastern DPS may be warranted. With regard to the western DPS, the comments NMFS receives, including the state's, will inform the agency's decision on what, if any, new restrictions it may impose on commercial fisheries.
A copy of the delisting petition and the state's comments on the BiOp are available here.
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5 comments:
Let's de-list Parnell. What a zero!
State apologists have fought the Fed on Cook Inlet belugas, polar bears, ect., you gotta be scared when the Feds are the conservationists. They ordinarily give away everything for the dollar. Like the walrus in the Gulf of Mexico.
I guess if we are stupid enough to ignore scientific recommendations we ought to just get out of the business of data collection.
Theres no data...that's the point. If you read the BiOp, you would quickly realize they have virtually nothing for the area they are trying to regulate. NMFS claims money and bad weather. My contractors don't seem to have any problems getting out there. When asked how much it would take to get more data, NMFS replied 750,000 dollars. Never mind that something like 8 million was allocated to various agencies for the study of Sea Lions. So now for lack of effort and 750K they are going to shutdown a fishery that could ruin lives with 100 million or more dollars per year lost. Ridiculous...
"Suporting ones facts is key to truth" Charlie Chan. . Just thot it was some funny sh.t to say b4 i wipe
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