Unalaska, AK – The release of the new National Marine Fisheries Service biological opinion on Steller sea lions has been delayed. The opinion was scheduled for release Monday and was highly anticipated by fishing industry players in Unalaska and beyond. Findings on the status of the endangered species could impact fishing regulations around Alaska, including many parts of the Aleutians where the population of the sea lions is the most threatened.

NOAA fisheries public affairs spokeswoman Sheela McLean says the agency delayed the release to give the returning head of the Alaska region time to review it himself. Until recently, Jim Balsinger was the acting head of NMFS. Now he is resuming his position at the head of NMFS-Alaska. McLean says he wants time to fully review the opinion and talk to stakeholders and scientists before it is released to the public. Currently there is no schedule for its release and it may or may not be available to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council before their April meeting. It is still tentatively on the council's agenda.