Unalaska, AK – Today, Governor Sean Parnell took a stand on the Steller sea lion issue. The state of Alaska has submitted critical comments on the draft biological opinion released by the National Marine Fisheries Service that would place restrictions on fishing in the Western Aleutians. The state also petitioned the federal government to remove the Eastern stock of Steller sea lions from its endangered species list.

The population of the Eastern stock of Steller sea lions - concentrated in coastal Alaska - has grown at a much more rapid pace than the genetically different Western stock. This discrepancy both helps explain why NMFS is proposing strict program that would close the Pacific cod and Atka Mackerel fisheries in the Western Aleutians, and why the state of Alaska thinks it's time for the eastern stock to lose its protections. In a press conference, Gov. Sean Parnell had harsh words for the endangered species designation of Steller sea lions.