Spectacled eiders and Stellers eiders are listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. The Service proposed to designate critical habitat for the two species earlier this year. The Service is extending the comment period to ensure that the public has an opportunity to comment on the proposed designations when the economic analysis is completed. The economic analysis is expected to be available for public review and comment in August.
Critical habitat is a term used in the Endangered Species Act that refers to a specific geographic area that is important for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and may require special management considerations. Critical habitat does not set up a preserve or refuge, nor does it affect private activities. However, federal agencies must consult with the Service before taking actions, issuing permits or providing funding for activities that may affect critical habitat.
Spectacled eiders and Stellers eiders are seaducks found in marine and coastal areas in southwest, western and northern Alaska. The populations of these ducks have declined significantly. The Service listed the spectacled eider as threatened in 1993. The Stellers eider was listed as threatened in 1997.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 520 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such
as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
You can subscribe to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska region listserver, to have our press releases sent to your e-mail address automatically by sending an e-mail message to: listserver@www.fws.gov">. Please indicate that you would like to subscribe to FWS-Alaska news and give your name in the body of the message.
