ANCHORAGE, Alaska—
The Board of Fisheries has given commercial fishing operations in Adak the green light for cod. On Wednesday, the board unanimously voted to grant the city of Adak it's emergency petition that will allow vessels under 60 feet to fish pacific cod in state waters in the vicinity of Adak during the federal season.
In December, the National Marine Fisheries Service announced that commercial mackerel and cod fisheries in the western Aleutians would be restricted to ensure that steller sea lions have enough to eat.
The western population of sea lions was listed as endangered in 1997.
City officials in Adak say they're pleased with the decision.
“It means that as a community we have additional opportunities to develop our resources, in this case fishing, and allows us to participate in a community, which is of vital importance,” said Adak City Manager Layton Lockett.
The new restrictions went into effect the first of the year.
