Public hearing held on proposed ESA listing for sunflower sea star

Over 50 people and 25 more over the phone attended a hearing last week in Petersburg hosted by the National Marine Fisheries Service on a proposal to list the sunflower sea star as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The hearing allowed NMFS to share details on the proposed ruling as well as gather input from the public ahead of their final determination.

Over 20 public comments were heard at the meeting, with much of the community's concern resting on how listing the species as threatened could affect Alaskan fisheries.

"Folks, I think, did a really good job of conveying their...