National Marine Fisheries Service Extends Comment Period for Proposed Arctic Ringed Seal Critical Habitat Designation

On February 2, 2015 the National Marine Fisheries Service (“Service”) announced its plan to extend the period for public comments on its December 3, 2014 proposed designation of critical habitat for the threatened Arctic Ringed Seal (Phoca hispida hispida), reported on this blog.  (80 FR 5498 [pdf].)  The Service’s proposed rule would designate millions of acres in the Bering, Beaufort, and Chukchi seas as critical habitat for the threatened Arctic Ringed Seal.  The public comment period will now remain open until March 31, 2015.  Additionally, the Service announced that a fifth public hearing on the proposed critical habitat designation will be held in Bethel, AK on February 26, 2015 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.  The hearing will take place at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center, 420 Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway, Bethel, AK 99559.