Unalaska, AK – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has opted to extend the comment period on the potential listing of ringed and bearded seals as endangered.

In December, NOAA proposed that two distinct populations of bearded seals and four subspecies of ringed seals be protected under the Endangered Species Act. The bearded seals are found in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas in Alaska, while the ringed seal subspecies are found in the Bering Sea and the Arctic Ocean. The 60-day public comment period was supposed to end yesterday, but it has been extended 45 days to March 25.