Scientists Map Spots Critical to Future of Alaska Sound - Brief Article

International Wildlife, May-June, 2001

Alaska's spectacular Prince William Sound, famous as the site of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, now faces a more permanent threat from development- spurred in part by a new road that will place the region within a two-hour drive of most of the state's population.

As part of an effort to devise an effective long-term strategy for protecting the sound, NWF's Alaska office recently convened 31 scientists to identify biological hot spots especially critical to the ecological health of the sound. The scientists, with expertise in oceanography, deep-sea fisheries and individual species ranging from orcas and sea lions to shorebirds and marine invertebrates, stressed that the sound as a whole is a resource of global significance. But, as NWF requested, they identified 14 specific areas that are extremely important either for a key species or for the biodiversity of the area.

"Understanding what areas are most important biologically is the first step toward developing a commonsense strategy that will balance environmental protection with various uses, including tourism and commercial, sport and subsistence fishing," says Jim Adams, an attorney in NWF's Alaska office.