In a press release Monday, Stevens said that while he sees the need to expand economic opportunities in the region, he urges the Department of Fish and Game to listen to the public.
"There are numerous areas outside of the critical habitat area that can support clam farming without affecting the rights" of those in the area, he said in the release.
Stevens also encouraged the public to attend the next meeting with Fish and Game, which will be held in Homer on Sept. 8.
That meeting comes two weeks after one in Seldovia. Residents there had requested a meeting on their side of the bay after criticizing the poor audio connections at an Aug. 5 meeting in Homer.
Seldovia residents say they will lose public beach access and that the farms will hurt the natural habitat.
Approximately 35 people attended the meeting with Department of Fish and Game representative Douglas Vincent-Lang.
Seldovia Mayor Dick Wyland said that the meeting was a chance for Seldovia residents to express their displeasure at the thought of lifting the three-year-old ban.
"The community is 99 percent against this," Wyland said Monday. "We had one guy at the meeting (for it), and he had a monetary involvement."
The meeting at least gave residents a chance to get some straight talk with someone from Fish and Game, Wyland said. It makes more sense to have one person come to Seldovia for a meeting instead of making 20 or 30 people take a boat across the bay and back. Residents were satisfied in that regard even if some felt the decision was out of their hands.
"They appreciated Fish and Game coming. There is some doubt in their minds as to whether we even have a chance on keeping this ban," Wyland said.
Vincent-Lang said he left the meeting feeling that, although the attendees didn't like the idea of clam farming in the bay, the trip down was a win for both the state and the residents.
"I think that they were happy that the department came down in person to speak to them," said Vincent-Lang. "In the department's point of view, I think it helped us immensely in understanding what their concerns are."
Willy Dunne of the Kachemak Bay Conservation Society attended both the Seldovia meeting and the one in Homer. He was surprised that the state agreed to answer questions but would not accept any formal testimony.
The audience sent a loud and clear message to the state in Seldovia, Dunne said.
"They make more from a recreational clammer, who buys a boat ride, stays in town, or buys a meal than they ever would" from private clam farms, Dunne said.
The next meeting on the issue will be held at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center in Homer from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 8.
Written public comments will be accepted through Sept. 15 and may be submitted to Kerri Tonkin, regulation specialist at Department of Fish and Game, P.O. Box 25526, Juneau, AK 99802-5526 or Kerri_Tonkin@fishgame.state.ak.us.
Chris Eshleman can be reached at chris.eshleman @homernews.com.
