- 55 - 



an "Agency Review Draft" for review and comment. The 

 Commission, in consultation with its Committee of Scientific 

 Advisors, reviewed the draft and, on 14 February 1983, 

 forwarded extensive comments and recommendations to the 

 Service . 



In the Commission's view, the draft plan provided a 

 comprehensive summary of available information on the 

 status of the Hawaiian monk seal, possible causes of the 

 observed decline in numbers, and steps that have been taken 

 to protect and encourage the species' recovery. The plan 

 also provided a comprehensive outline of research and management 

 actions that appear necessary to (a) better identify and 

 mitigate both naturally occurring and human-caused factors 

 that may be contributing to decreased survival and productivity 

 of the species and (b) determine and monitor vital parameters 

 of the populations and habitats critical to its survival. 



The Commission concluded that the draft plan, with 

 exceptions, constituted a fully adequate "strategic plan" to 

 be used as a framework for developing an "operational work 

 plan" which the Commission had previously recommended be 

 done. The Commission thus recommended that the Agency 

 Review Draft be expanded to provide clearer indications of 

 the relative importance of the various tasks identified in 

 the draft and the resources which would be required to fully 

 implement the Recovery Plan. The Commission further recommended 

 that work on an operational work plan be initiated promptly 

 and that the Recovery Plan be put into final form and adopted 

 as soon as possible. The Recovery Plan was finalized and 

 approved by the Service on 1 April 1983. By the end of 

 1983, the Service had not yet developed an operational work 

 plan or implementation plan. 



At the time the Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Plan was 

 being drafted, entanglement in lost or discarded fishing 

 gear was not identified as a serious problem. The potential 

 significance of entanglement on the species was recognized 

 in 1983 and, as noted in Chapter IV of this Report, steps 

 are being taken to plan and convene an international workshop 

 to determine what needs to be done to better define and 

 resolve the problem in terms of the Hawaiian monk seal and 

 other species. 



