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Reaaonae to pMB. letter
* OMR takes exception to calling Sears unique and unusually diverse. It cites the Brown (1993) classification system as proof of this,

As seated Above. tha joint evaluation refers to the Sears island habitat as uncommon and highly productive, rather than "unique."  On the western portion of the island, there are a wide variety of habitat types.  It ie uncommon to find rooky intertidal, tide pools, intertidal mudflats, eelgrass, kelp and a variety of aubtidal habitats in one location* South of rock jetty, the island is fairly exposed so rocky shorelina predominates; north of the rock jetty, the shoreline is more protected and mudflats and sottsholl clams prevail.  Subtidally, aelgrass dominates with smaller pat-ohafi of kelp intarroi^d.
The Brown document, a statewide system to classify marine habitats, looka at physical characteristics of a substrate and inters species presence and lists representative sites. The document itself does not have data specific to Sears island and only determines the prevalence of each habitat type individually; it docs not document mixtures or juxtaposition of habitat types.
* Maine DMA questionR the value of o&lgrass in Maine.
Huaefoue studies have been done examining the value of eelgrass, many of which have been done south of Cape Cod. For this reason, EPA and the Mew England Aquarium have been examining the importance of eelgrass to finfish in .  . wasaachusetts. north of Cape-Cod.  Additionally, Dr. Fred Short h(r oolleoted some data in the piscataqua River, and at least one study haa been done in Canada examining the importance of eelgrasa to juvenile cod (Morin at al. l99l). These three pieces of research each document that eelgrass ftervaa &• a habitat and feeding area for a variety of conaiarcially important fish.  This agrees with many studies from the mid-Atlantic.  The published scientific literature and yet unpublished studies done in Massachusetts and New Hampshire provide a uniform position; eelgrass is a valuable habitat utilized by oommeroially important fintish species.
Aaawning that the law® of physics are consistent worldwide, eelgrass in Maine should provide shelter against currents and wave action.  Numerous studios (Thayer et al. 1985, Heck and Thoman 1981) document the prevalence of amphipodo and ieopods utilising these beds for shelter.  At night, amphipods and isopods rise into th® water column above the vegetation to teed.  Many pelagic fish frequent eelgraes beds to feed on the abundant amphipods and ieopode (Robertson and Howard 1978).  We are aware of no credible