March 5, 2024 — GOVERNOR Arnold I. Palacios has expressed concern about the National Marine Fisheries Service’s designation of critical habitat for seven threatened corals in the waters surrounding the CNMI.
In his letter to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Assistant Administrator for Fisheries Janet Coit on Thursday, the governor thanked NMFS for addressing earlier concerns regarding public meetings and making them more accessible to the people of Saipan, Tinian and Rota.
He also commended the agency for adopting different approaches in designating coral critical habitat and giving affected communities the chance to submit comments for the revised critical habitat proposal.