Public asked to comment on whale sanctuary management
Volunteers are needed to record whale behavior on three dates early this year. A mother humpback whale and her calf swim off the coast of Hawaii.
The state of Hawaii is asking the public to submit comments on the management of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources said Wednesday it’s gathering feedback as part of a regular review. The deadline for submitting comments is Feb. 7.
A federal agency — the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — gathered comments on the issue in 2010.
NOAA and DLNR plan to consider the comments they both collect for one document they will produce together.
The department says the comments NOAA collected in 2010 are already under full consideration and don’t need to be resubmitted to the state.
NOAA and DLNR manage the sanctuary jointly.
They are legally mandated to review their management regularly.
