Public comments sought on critical habitat areas

Published on March 4th, 2010

By BRISTOL BAY TIMES STAFF

The public has an opportunity to offer input on upcoming goals for fish and wildlife protections, and public uses and regulations for critical habitat areas in Bristol Bay.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is asking for public comments on the Bristol

Bay Critical Habitat Areas draft management plan.

The management plan addresses five critical habitat areas: Egegik Critical Habitat Area (CHA), Pilot Point CHA, Cinder River CHA, Port Heiden CHA, and Port Moller CHA located on the north side of the Alaska Peninsula. The department will use the management plan and subsequent regulations to authorize appropriate activities in the critical habitat areas through special area permitting, a news release says.

Established in 1972, the five critical habitat areas include the major estuaries along the southern shore of Bristol Bay. The primary purpose of the critical habitat areas is to protect and preserve habitat areas especially crucial to the perpetuation of fish and wildlife, particularly waterfowl, and to restrict all other uses not compatible with that primary purpose.

The draft plan presents management goals for the critical habitat areas and identifies policies to be used in determining which activities are compatible with the protection of fish and wildlife, their habitats, and public use of the critical habitat areas. The proposed policies address such issues as access and use of resources in the refuge. The draft plan includes a list of proposed regulations for implementing the plan. However, proposed regulations may be revised based on any changes to management plan policies. ADF&G will conduct a separate regulatory review for the Bristol Bay Critical Habitat Areas after the management plan is finalized later this year.

The draft plan is available for public review and comment through April 1. Copies are available on the department Web site at www.wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=refuge.bristol_bay_plan and at ADF&G offices in Anchorage, Douglas, King Salmon and Kodiak. Additional copies for review will be at local community libraries. Written comments may be submitted via e-mail, to dfg.hab.specialarea@alaska.gov or via postal service to: Bristol Bay CHAs Management Plan, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Habitat, 333 Raspberry Road, Anchorage 99518-1565.