US agency studies rare whale habitat expansion request
By MARK THIESSEN
Associated Press
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The U.S. government has agreed to a request from environmental groups to study increasing critical habitat designations in Alaska waters for one of the rarest species in the world. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries estimates there are about 30 North Pacific right whales left after centuries of hunting, ship strikes and fishing gear entanglements devastated the species. The agency in 2008 designated about 1,175 square miles in the Gulf of Alaska and about 35,460 square miles in the southeast Bering Sea as critical habitat for the whales. Two groups in March petitioned the agency to expand the habitat by connecting the two areas.
