NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is extending the comment period on the agency’s initiation of a 5-year review for the threatened Beringia and Okhotsk distinct population segments of the Pacific bearded seal subspecies through Tuesday, May 25. Originally due to expire on March 26, NMFS said it is extending the comment period in response to two requests in order to provide more time to gather relevant information and prepare submissions in a thorough manner.
The review will assess the best scientific and commercial data available to determine whether any of the species should be delisted or reclassified.
