An Alaska Native tribe has nominated for consideration as a national marine sanctuary an area around the Pribilof Islands that supports Steller sea lions, northern fur seals and other marine life.
A northern fur seal jumps out of the water near Sea Lion Rock at St. Paul Island on Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022. The seals were hunted for their fur until 1984, when the United States ended the commercial harvest on the Pribilof Islands. They are still hunted for subsistence purposes, with an annual quota of around 2,000 to 2,500 split between St. Paul and St. George Islands.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Wednesday that it had agreed to add the nomination of Alaĝum Kanuux, or Heart of the Ocean, by the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island to a list of areas it could consider for designation as a marine sanctuary. The agency notes that the addition of a place to the list is no guarantee it will become a sanctuary. Sanctuary designation is a separate process that is “highly public and participatory, and often takes several years to complete.”“Our ultimate vision is a designated, co-managed marine area that supports the growth of local and regional economies and advances conservation,” Amos Philemonoff, president of the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island Tribal Government, said in a statement.
“As a lifelong commercial halibut fisherman, I’ve witnessed the changes occurring in our ecosystem and their impacts on our people. It’s time for proactive change for the better, and I’m proud that our Tribe is leading this movement.
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