The National Marine Fisheries Service released the 2008 Cook Inlet Beluga survey numbers today. The number of estimated animals is the same as last year- 375. The count was important to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as the agency has been delaying a final decision on whether or not to list the Cook Inlet beluga under the Endangered Species Act until they had this year’s number.
Lori Townsend, APRN – Anchorage
