Community input sought on damage of the Selendang Ayu

REID BREWER

March 28, 2008 at 9:26AM AKST

For The Dutch Harbor Fisherman

The Natural Resource Trustees from the Selendang Ayu oil spill came to Unalaska on March 25 and 26 discuss possible restoration projects to provide compensation for the losses of natural resources caused by the spill and subsequent clean-up efforts .

Trustees were to meet with city officials, landowners and local stakeholders to discuss what they have learned so far and next steps in the process. This group is seeking input on projects that may restore the injured resources and services.

Restoration projects must be tied to the resources impacted. An example might be a project that seeks to restore seabirds killed by the spill by eradicating invasive rats on Kiska Island, home to many marine birds including a large colony of crested auklets.

As for damage to the nearshore environment, a project could be designed to enhance small spill response capability in local bays.

Trustees are working cooperatively with the responsible party to estimate the number of marine birds killed by the spill, determine whether harlequin ducks in the core spill area are still being exposed to oil, and revisit beach segments to assess any remaining oil.

For more information or project ideas, contact Jennifer Kohout, Natural Resource Damage Coordinator with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (907) 786-3687 or myself, contact information below.

What research would you prioritize?

Here it is, finally, a chance to determine where your tax dollars are spent.

Alaska Sea Grant, an organization whose focus lies in marine education, outreach and research, is interested in identifying and prioritizing research and information needs to improve resource management along the Aleutian Islands.

Alaska Sea Grant has put together a short online questionnaire to determine where you think researchers should focus future efforts. Sea lions? Water quality? Impacts of seasonal weather patterns?

The survey takes between 10 to 20 minutes to fill out and in addition to the satisfaction of being active in deciding where future research may occur, Alaska Sea Grant will enter your name into a drawing for a $200 shopping spree in the Alaska Sea Grant Bookstore, home to many award-winning publications and posters.

The survey can be found at seagrant.uaf.edu. Click on "Aleutians research needs survey."

Reid Brewer of Unalaska is a marine biologist with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Marine Advisory Program. He can be reached at 581-4589 or reidbrewer@hotmail.com.

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