09.29.2009
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| Feds to decide on listing ice seals as threatened
Quote: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal agency must decide within three weeks whether spotted seals, which depend on sea ice off Alaska's coast, should be listed as a threatened or endangered species.
In addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration agreed to decide by Nov. 1, 2010, whether two other ice-dependent seals, ringed seals and bearded seals, should be listed.
A federal judge Friday approved the settlement between NOAA and the Center for Biological Diversity, which had sued to force a decision.
Center spokeswoman Rebecca Noblin said Monday the group was happy the agency had set the dates, since the summer sea ice minimum this year was the third-lowest since satellite measurements began in 1979.
"The quicker we can get protection for these seals, the better," she said.
NOAA officials in December denied listing ribbon seals as threatened or endangered. They said climate models project annual ice for the seals will continue to form each winter during the critical birthing and molting period. The Center for Biological Diversity has sued to reverse the decision.
John Kurland, acting deputy regional administrator of NOAA, said the agency has been studying spotted, ringed and bearded seals. Spotted seals had a similar distribution and an information overlap with ribbon seals, he said.
Information on the other two types of seals is more complicated, and the extra time will let the agency incorporate information compiled by the state of Alaska, Kurland said.
| http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090928/...s/us_ice_seals  |
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