Claire Arndt

I support the decisions by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to protect the habitat of the northern Bering Sea from destructive bottom trawling. With our oceans under more stress than ever from global climate change and demands of a growing world population, it is imperative we address the environmental threats we can control. Habitat destruction is one such threat. According to the National Academy of Sciences, bottom trawling is the most destructive form of fishing on seafloor habitat, and we must implement appropriate management measures to protect the northern and eastern Bering Sea. The northern Bering Sea is home to some of the world?s most extraordinary wildlife. Grey whales undertake annual migrations of more than 4,000 miles to reach the rich feeding grounds of the northern Bering Sea shelf and beyond. The entire world?s population of spectacled eiders amasses in one enormous flock to spend the winter between St. Matthew and St. Lawrence Islands. This threatened species dives to the ocean floor to feed, and therefore depends on healthy seafloor habitat for survival. Pacific walrus forage on the productive seafloor, with each animal eating up to 6,000 clams a day in order to fulfill their energy needs. The northern Bering Sea may also be the last stronghold of commercially important snow crab, which formerly supported one of Alaska?s most valuable crustacean fisheries. It is imperative to prevent destructive bottom trawling from expanding onto the northern Bering Sea shelf or beyond into the Arctic. We commend both NMFS and the Council for taking this precautionary action to protect the northern Bering Sea from destructive bottom trawling.