Notification of receipt of petition for rulemaking

NOAA Fisheries announces the receipt of a petition for rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). The Aleut Community of St. Paul Island, the Traditional Council of St. George Island , and the Aleut Marine Mammal Commission have petitioned NOAA Fisheries to revise regulations governing the subsistence taking of northern fur seals. The revisions requested include:

• changing the current hunting season on St. Paul Island, Alaska to begin on October 15,
• creating an annual hunting season on St. George Island, Alaska to begin on October 15 and end on May 31,
• and creating an annual hunting season in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska to begin on November 1 and end on April 30, with an upper take limit for the Aleutian Islands of 100 non-breeding male fur seals.

NOAA Fisheries solicits public comments on this request. NOAA Fisheries will consider all comments and available information when determining whether to proceed with rulemaking.

You may submit comments on this document, identified by NOAA–NMFS–2023–091 electronically (see link at left) or by mail to:

Anne Marie Eich, NOAA Fisheries Alaska Regional Office, 709 W. 9th St., P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802.

Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period may not be considered by NOAA Fisheries. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on https://www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information ( e.g., name, address), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. NOAA Fisheries will accept anonymous comments (enter “N/A” in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous).