Unalaska, AK – The States of Alaska and Washington are teaming up to conduct a review of the Steller sea lion biological opinion that the National Marine Fisheries Service released last year. The review will primarily focus on the effect that the commercial groundfish fisheries may have on the endangered western stock of Steller sea lions.

Fish and Game representatives from Alaska and Washington will be putting together a panel of scientists to determine whether the research that went into the biological opinion was sound and impartial. The biop determined that the sea lions were experiencing nutritional stress, and the Pacific cod and Atka mackerel fisheries in the western Aleutian Islands were closed as a result.

This is the most recent in a series of challenges against the federal government by the stateThe state approved an emergency petition from the city of Adak in January, overriding federal regulations that closed the parallel state waters to fishing in order to protect the sea lions. In December, the State of Alaska filed suit against the federal government over the closures.