1999 

 OUR LIVING OCEANS 



i 



and because current levels ol bycatch slightly exceed the proper PBR level. In the tiull ot 

 Mexico, }} stocks of bottlenose dolphins have been identified in bay, sound, and estuarine 

 areas, which are mostly quite small. Five additional stocks have been identified from the 

 coastal and oHshore areas. Estimates of direct human-induced annual mortalities are only a 

 small traction of the abundances tor these five stocks, so none are classified as strategic. 

 Three anomalous mortality events have been documented tor bottlenose dolphins, sug- 

 gesting that these stocks may be physiologically stressed. 



Steller sea lion, Gulf of 

 Alaska. 



Atlantic harbor porpoise A harbor porpoise take reduction plan for the Northeast Region's 

 sink gillnet and Mid-Atlantic coastal gillnet fisheries was implemented in December 1 998. 

 The bycatch ot the Cult of Maine-Bay ot F'und\' harbor porpoise in gillnets has exceeded 

 the PBR since tlrst estimated in 1990. The fishery has been subject to seasonal and spatial 

 regulation in the Cult ot Maine, and this may be part ot the reason that it has intensified in 

 the Mid-Atlantic Region in recent years. Ihe take reduction plan detines specific areas and 

 seasons that ate closed to fishing or where either acoustic deterrents or net modifications 

 are required to be used. The success ot the plan at reducing bycatch below PBR's will be 

 closely monitored using observer programs and other at-sea research. 



Steller sea lions Improved estimates ot Steller sea lion abundance were obtained tor 1 998. 

 The western U.S. Pacific stock has continued to decline, while the eastern Pacific stock 

 appears to be either stable or increasing slightlv. I he human-caused mortality exceeded 

 PBR tor the western U.S. Pacific stock, but not tor the eastern Pacitlc stock. Newly insti- 

 tuted management actions (in early 1999) include a no-entry zone around rookeries, a 

 prohibition ot groundfish trawling within 10-20 n.mi. ot most Alaskan rookeries and im- 

 portant liaulout sites, and spatial and temporal allocation ot Eastern Bering Sea and ( lull of 

 Alaska Atka mackerel and walleye pollock catches. 



Eastern tropical Pacific dolphins The 1997 International Dolphin Conservation Program 

 Act mandated new research to determine whether or not encirclement ot dolphins during 

 tuna purse-seine fishing in the eastern tropical Pacific has an adverse affect on the animals. 

 1 he status ot several eastern tropical Pacific dolphin stocks continues to be ot concern, 

 especially for two stocks classified as depleted because ot incidental mortality that has oc- 

 curred in the fishery since the early 1960's, even though incidental mortalitv' of dolphins 

 has been substantiallv reduced since the early 1990's. Research is underwas' to clarif\' the 

 status ot these stocks and to determine the effects of chase and recapture. 



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