1998-34 Sea Lion Protection MeasuresKODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
RESOLUTION NO. 98 -34
Introduced by: Mayor Stevens
Requested by: Mayor Stevens
Drafted by: Alaska Groundfish Data Bank
Introduced: 11/03/98
Amended: 11/03/98
Adopted: 11/03/98
A RESOLUTION OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
REQUESTING MITIGATION OF PROPOSED SEA LION PROTECTION MEASURES
IN THE GULF OF ALASKA AND BERING SEA
WHEREAS, the Steller Sea Lions in the Central and Western Gulf of Alaska and Bering
Sea and Aleutian Islands have declined steadily for at least the past 28 years; and
WHEREAS, the Protected Species Division of National Marine Fisheries Service in
1992 listed Steller Sea Lions as threatened species and implemented protective
measures which closed three -mile buffer zones around rookeries to all vessels and ten -
mile trawl zones around rookeries; and
WHEREAS, these measures failed to result in any change in the decline of Steller Sea
Lions; and
WHEREAS, no scientific analysis has shown an relationship between the pollock
fishery and the Sea Lion decline, and there is no evidence that any closure of the
pollock fishery will ensure that the Sea Lion population will rebound; and
WHEREAS, the Protected Species Division has decided that access to pollock is the
reason for the continued decline but has produced no analysis to substantiate this
belief; and
WHEREAS, the rookeries showing the least decline in Steller Sea Lions are rookeries
where both Atka Mackerel and pollock are available to the resident Steller Sea Lions
and Richard Merrick, in a peer reviewed and published paper "Diet Diversity of Steller
Sea Lions (Eumetopias Jubatus) and Their Population Decline In Alaska: A potential
Relationship ", suggests that Sea Lions require more than one species available to
recover; and
WHEREAS, the Sea Lion decline in the Central /Western Gulf of Alaska and Bering
Sea /Aleutians began in the 1970s when a Regime Shift occurred which dramatically
changed the species composition. This change included a dramatic increase in pollock
in the Central /Western Gulf; and
WHEREAS, the Office of Protected Species is now proposing to close to trawling all
rookeries and haul -outs where 200 Sea Lions were ever counted between the years
1960 and 1998, even though most of the proposed closures are rookeries and haul -
outs which have not been used by 200 sea lions for many years;
Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska Resolution No. 98 -34
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WHEREAS, the proposed additional haul -out and rookery closures preclude fishing in
all the major pollock fishing areas; and
WHEREAS, the rookeries used recently by 200 are used only seasonally; and
WHEREAS, the scope of the proposed closures will virtually eliminate the pollock
fisheries on which Cordova, Seward, Kodiak, Sand Point, King Cove, Dutch Harbor,
and Akutan depend; and
WHEREAS, the proposed trimester pollock fishery regime which opens the second
trimester in July will result in high Chinook and Chum Salmon bycatch in the Gulf of
Alaska; and
WHEREAS, requiring a trimester fishery for the Bering Sea increases substantially the
cost of operations, including flying in processing workers three times a year instead
of two; and
WHEREAS, the affected communities do support reasonable Sea Lion protection
measures and the analysis of the current sea lion protective measures;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND
BOROUGH that the Alaska Municipal League is urged to request the National Marine
Fisheries Service analyze the effects of the current Steller Sea Lion protection
measures before implementing additional measures.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK
ISLAND BOROUGH that any increase in closures be limited to rookeries and haul -outs
that have contained 200 or more Sea Lions during the years 1990 -1997.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK
ISLAND BOROUGH that any closed rookery or haul -out areas be closed only during the
time period when Steller Sea Lions are known to be present.
ATTEST:
ADOPTED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
THIS THIRD DAY OF NOVEMBER, 1998
J � 1i‘. _
onna F. Smith, CMC /AAE, Borough Clerk
Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska
KODIAK ISLAN
OUGH
. r! L. Ste 'ens, Borough Mayor
Resolution No. 98 -34
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