Wednesday June 8, 2022
KXRO —
West Coast Seafood processors says that their membership is concerned about a study on the impacts of sea otters on coastal fishing.
The West Coast Seafood Processors Association says that they join other ocean stakeholders in a lack of confidence about concerns raised about the otters.
In a release, the group says that a cost and feasibility study from that U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) considering the reintroduction of sea otters to the West Coast was expected to be out by the end of last year.
That study is being finalized, but USFWS staff provided an overview of the study to key seafood industry leaders.
Based on that conversation, representatives from the West Coast Seafood Processors Association (WCSPA), Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA), and the California Sea Urchin Commission anticipate the feasibility study will be released in the coming weeks. They add that while the specific content of the study is unclear, the overview provided did nothing to alleviate concerns expressed by the fishing industry.