- COOK INLET BELUGA WHALE SUBSISTENCE HARVEST FINAL SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT June 2008
- Prepared by
- U.S. Department of Commerce
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service
- National Marine Mammal Laboratory
- National Marine Mammal Laboratory
CLICK ON THE BELOW BELUGA FOR THE FULL REPORT
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- UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
- Nat:lonal Oceanic and At:moBpharlc AdmlnIBt:rat:lon
- PROGRAM PLANNING AND INTEGRATION Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 JUN 10 2008
- Dear Reviewer:
- In accordance with provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), we enclose for
- your review the Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Subsistence Harvest Final Supplemental
- Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS).
- This FSEIS is prepared pursuant to NEPA to assess the environmental impacts associated with
- NOAA's implementation of a management plan to govern the subsistence harvest of Cook Inlet
- beluga whales. NOAA's proposed action is to implement the plan and based on periodic
- population assessments determine whether a subsistence harvest can be permitted under the
- terms and conditions of this management plan. Harvests will be controlled by federal regulations
- and co-management agreements with Alaska Native organizations.
- Additional copies of the FSEIS may be obtained from the Project Manager identified below. The
- document is also accessible electronically through the NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Region website
- at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/analyses/beluga/eis/default.htm.
- A 30-day public comment period is being provided upon release of this FSEIS. Please send
- comments to the Responsible Program Manager identified below by either mail or email. When
- submitting email comments please include the following document identifier in the comment
- subject line: Cook Inlet Beluga Harvest FSEIS. NOAA is not required to respond to comments
- received during the agency's 30 day review period as a result of the issuance of the FSEIS.
- However, comments received by July 22,2008 will be reviewed and considered for their impact
- on issuance of a Record of Decision (ROD). The ROD will be made available publicly on the
- Alaska Region's website following final agency action on or after July 29,2008.
- Responsible Program Official: Robert D. Mecum
- Acting Regional Administrator, Alaska Region
- Attn: Ellen Sebastian
- National Marine Fisheries Service
- 709 W. 9th Street
- P.O. 21688
- Juneau,AJe.99802-1668
- Telephone number: (907) 271-3448
- Facsimile number: (907) 586-7557 Commenting Email Address: CIB-Harvest-SEIS@noaa.gov
- For further infonnation or to request a copy of the FSEIS in paper or CD fonnat contact:
- Project Manager: Barbara Mahoney
- National Marine Fisheries Service
- 222 West i h Ave., #43
- Anchorage, AK 99513 907-271-3448 Rodne Weiher Ph.D.
- NOAA ]'ffiPA Coordinator
- ---------------------------------------------
- Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Subsistence Harvest
- Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
- June 2008
- Lead Agency: United States Department of Commerce
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- National Marine Fisheries Service
- Office of Protected Resources
- Juneau, Alaska
- Responsible Official: Robert D. Mecum, Regional Administrator (Acting),
- Alaska Region
- For Further Information Contact: Barbara Mahoney, Project Manager
- National Marine Fisheries Service
- Protected Resources Division
- 222 West 7th Avenue, Box 43
- Anchorage, AK 99513
- (907) 271-3448
- Abstract: NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service proposes to implement a long-term
- harvest plan to manage subsistence harvest of the Cook Inlet, Alaska, beluga whale
- (Delphinapterus leucas). The purpose of this action is twofold: to recover the Cook Inlet beluga
- stock and to fulfill the Federal Government’s trust responsibility to recognize Alaska Native
- traditional cultural and nutritional needs for subsistence harvest. Four alternatives are evaluated
- for a long-term harvest plan where three alternatives allow for a subsistence harvest without
- preventing or unreasonably delaying the recovery of the stock. NOAA’s proposed action is to
- implement the plan and, based on periodic population assessments, determine whether a
- subsistence harvest can be permitted under the terms and conditions of the management plan.
- Harvests will be controlled by federal regulations and co-management agreements with Native
- organizations residing in the Cook Inlet region.
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