NMFS creates rodent detection dog exception to Pribilof dog ban

Certified rodent detection dogs may now land on the Pribilof Islands under an interim final rule the National Marine Fisheries Service published this week, creating the first exception to a prohibition in place since 1976.

The exception is narrow. Only dogs independently certified and trained for rodent detection, and specifically authorized by the Alaska Regional Administrator, may land. The rule is designed to allow pre-emptive inspection of vessels and cargo. NMFS said: "Invasive rodents could have significant consequences for the wildlife species that live and breed on the Pribilof Islands and the health and food security of community members." The islands support fur seal rookeries, dense seabird colonies, and subsistence harvests that Pribilovians and tribal governments on St. Paul and St. George depend on directly.

The change is preventive, intended to stop invasive rodents from establishing themselves on the islands before they arrive. No other dogs are authorized.

Public comments on the proposed rule expressed broad support with some minor clarifications, according to NMFS. The Marine Mammal Commission pushed NMFS to tighten the rule, urging independent certification requirements and operational restrictions to limit disturbance during sensitive periods. NMFS agreed, stating: "NMFS agrees that independent certification of a rodent detection dog is the requirement and has added clarifying regulatory text and definitions that specify this requirement."

What Comes Next

The rule takes effect August 6, 2026. Comments are due the same day. Submit electronically at regulations.gov using docket NOAA-NMFS-2025-0405, or by mail to the Assistant Regional Administrator, Protected Resources Division, Alaska Region NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668.

NMFS is publishing the interim final rule to allow continued public comment on the decision to authorize certified and trained rodent detection dogs to pre-emptively inspect vessels or cargo arriving at the islands.