A federal agency says it will open a public comment period on a proposal to prohibit commercial fishing in Arctic waters in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas.
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted the plan in February. That plan is now open for public review. It still needs the final approval of the Secretary of Commerce.
The plan has been hailed by environmentalists and industry representatives alike, who say summertime melting of sea ice has increased interest in commercial fishing in the Arctic.
The plan would prohibit industrial fishing in nearly 200,000 square miles of U.S. waters in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas until researchers can gather sufficient information on fish and the Arctic marine environment. It identifies Arctic cod, saffron cod and snow crab as species that likely would be targeted by commercial fishermen.