An example of nonuse values in environmental policy

From the inbox:

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today issued its final interim rule to reduce commercial fishing for groundfish stocks in the Aleutian Islands in an effort to provide more food for the endangered western Steller sea lion.

The rule, which would prohibit fishing for Atka mackerel and Pacific cod, the main source of food for the animal, in an area off the western Aleutian Islands, goes into effect January 1. ...

Under the Endangered Species Act, NOAA’s Fisheries Service must ensure that agency actions to allow fisheries do not jeopardize the continued existence of endangered species such as the western Steller sea lion. ...

For more information on the western Steller sea lion and the Alaska Groundfish Biological Opinion and to comment on the final interim rule, please visit http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.

Here is the evidence on nonuse values of the Steller sea lion: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0308-597X(02)00025-8

Note to self: isn't there another paper out there that looks at sea lions?

Update to self: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10640-010-9394-1