Draft Restoration Plan for Birds Now Available for Public Comment
The Deepwater HorizonOpen Ocean Trustee Implementation Group has released its Draft Restoration Plan 3 and Environmental Assessment: Birds. The plan is now availablefor public comment for 45 days, through April 28, 2023.
Of the more than 76 project ideas received, the Trustees narrowed the list to 11 bird restoration projects, of which seven are now proposed for implementation. The total estimated cost for these preferred alternatives is approximately $26 million.
The seven projects proposed in the Draft Restoration Plan would:
improve seabird nesting colonies through habitat enhancement, as well as predator and invasive species management;
reestablish seabird colonies by attracting breeding adults to restoration sites; and
work through collaborative partnerships to identify and implement strategies to reduce the risk of seabird bycatch.
