Comment from Susana Montana

The Inupiat people of the North Slope Borough have been living on resources of the land, air and waters for over 10,000 years and they wish to continue to do so in perpetuity--at least for the next 10,000 years. They depend on the bearded seal and ringed seal for their dietary nutrition, clothing, cultural artifacts and lifestyle. They are good stewards of the seals and are keen observers of their reproduction and rearing patterns and do all they can to sustain the species and their habitat. Any new threatened status should NOT translate into a limit on the number of seals of either species that can be harvested by North Slope subsistence hunters. Subsistence hunting of the seals must be allowed without restriction!!! Thank you for your consideration of the animals and humans who depend upon them, as well as the Polar Bears who depend upon them.