You may have heard that the Salish Sea's rockfish, those long-lived, late-maturing, bottom fish, are in trouble. In fact, in April 2010, two species achieved the lamentable distinction of a listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. As part of that listing, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has now proposed a draft recovery plan for threatened yelloweye rockfish and endangered bocaccio and you can comment on it!
What is a recovery plan?
You can comment in two ways:
1) in person at a public meeting:
Friday Harbor: Tuesday, Oct 18th, 7PM - Brickworks, 150 Nichols St.
Anacortes
: Wednesday, Oct 19th, 7PM - City Council Chambers, Anacortes City Hall, 904 6th St.
Seattle: Thursday, Oct 20th, 7PM
- Seattle Aquarium, Puget Sound Hall, 1483 Alaskan Way
Wondering what to say?
Attend a meeting to learn more about the impacts to rockfish, including fishing and changes to habitat before you draft comments. You could ask NOAA to explain how they determined that nearshore habitat disruption in the San Juans is a low risk threat to rockfish. Or request that the recovery plan address impacts from anchoring, both by large tankers like the ones that park near Vendovi and by all of us as we spend time in a bay.
If you want to receive emails from National Marine Fisheries Service and NOAA about rockfish, sign up here.
