Two environmental groups have come forwards and filed their support in court for the protection measures of Stellar sea lions. They said that they have file motions in federal court in support of conservation measures put in place to protect sea lions. Earthjustice filed the motions late Wednesday on behalf of Oceana and Greenpeace.
The measures by the National Marine Fisheries Service restrict fishing by large bottom trawl vessels in areas of the western and central Aleutian Islands. According to the groups the factory trawlers compete with sea lions for food and leave inadequate fish to support sea lion reproduction and recovery.
But the federal plan to protect sea lions were disturbed by the state of Alaska and two industry groups as they have sued to stop it. Gov. Sean Parnell says the agency did not make a rational connection between what it found and the conclusion it reached that fishing needed to be curtailed.
