November 24, 2014 — The following was released by NOAA:
NOAA Fisheries is publishing a final rule to implement Steller sea lion protection measures for fisheries in the Aleutian Islands, effective December 26, 2014.
Steller sea lions that primarily occur west of 144 degrees W longitude in Alaska are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Atka mackerel, Pacific cod, and pollock are the primary prey species for Steller sea lions in the Aleutian Islands. Fisheries for these three species also provide a living for fishermen and communities in the Aleutian Islands.
The protection measures address two Congressional mandates: to protect and aid the recovery of the endangered Steller sea lions, as required under the ESA, while at the same time providing for sustainable fisheries as required under the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
Steller sea lion protection measures regulate fishing by applying a combination of closed areas, harvest limits, and seasons. These protection measures:
– Disperse fishing efforts in both space and time to ensure Atka mackerel, Pacific cod, and pollock remain an abundant food source for the Steller sea lions
– Enhance fishing opportunities and minimize economic impacts on fishery participants and communities by removing some restrictions on fishing implemented in the 2010 Interim Final Rule
– Reduce some restrictions, including removal of some critical habitat closures in the three fishing areas
– Improve monitoring by requiring vessels fishing with trawl gear to set their vessel monitoring system to transmit the vessel location at least 10 times per hour.
Annual harvests will be limited by the total allowable catch levels set each year by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and harvest limits established in this final rule.
Ongoing research includes periodic surveys in the Aleutian Islands to collect data for groundfish stock assessments. Fisheries Interaction Team studies are proposed to evaluate the potential impact of fisheries harvests on Steller sea lion prey resources. Research on marine resources and fisheries management are conducted by the NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center and other research institutions.
Read the full release from NOAA