ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The tide is rising again in the debate over
beluga whales, as a National Marine Fisheries Service report
showing an increase in the Cook Inlet beluga population from 321
to 340 this year was released Friday. Some, including State Rep.
Charisse Millett, say the report proves that belugas shouldn’t
be considered for a critical habitat designation later this
month. But experts and others say this year’s higher numbers are
not the whole story. Cook Inlet’s belugas can affect a lot of
the construction taking place at the Port of Anchorage. Port
Director Bill Sheffield says five spotters are employed to watch
for belugas whenever there's work going on near the water. “We
have a contract with those people to man those towers at all
times we're under construction,” Sheffield said. If the spotters
see a whale, under federal endangered-species rules, the work
must stop. The port estimates it spends $5 million a year to
follow the federal regulations. “That's a lot of money, and when
you add in the i