- 78 - 



whales, seven species of pinnipeds, eight species of non- 

 endangered cetaceans, sea otters, and polar bears. 



The Commission, in consultation with its Committee of 

 Scientific Advisors, reviewed the DEIS and on 17 August 1983 

 advised the Service that, with respect to marine mammals, 

 the document provided a generally thorough and useful summary 

 and assessment of available information concerning the 

 populations that could be affected and the possible effects 

 of activities that would or could be associated with the 

 proposed action. The Commission also noted that the DEIS 

 proposed several sale-specific mitigation measures which 

 would help reduce possible adverse effects on endangered and 

 non-endangered marine mammals, and recommended that these 

 proposed measures be included as part of the proposed action. 



With respect to bowhead whales, ribbon seals, and 

 northern fur seals, however, the Commission noted that 

 discussions in the DEIS appeared to underestimate and/or 

 incorrectly describe the possible effects of activities 

 associated with the proposed action, and it therefore 

 suggested that relevant sections of the DEIS be reviewed and 

 revised as necessary. Other points identified in the Commission's 

 comments suggested that sections of the DEIS be revised or 

 expanded to better indicate: possible cumulative effects of 

 this and other planned or proposed oil and gas activity off 

 Alaska; the magnitude of possible impacts on northern fur 

 seals in the event of a large oil spill contacting haulout 

 and pupping beaches in the Pribilof Islands and/or mitigation 

 and feeding areas in the southeastern Bering Sea; and uncertainties 

 associated with the possible effects of disturbance of 

 endangered whales due to vessel and aircraft operations, 

 seismic exploration, platform construction, drilling operations, 

 and similar activities. 



Proposed PCS Lease Sales #81 and #84 

 Central and Western Gulf of Mexico 



Two oil and gas lease sales are proposed for the Gulf 

 of Mexico during 1984: #81 (April) in the central Gulf, 

 involving 39.8 million acres; and #84 (July) in the western 

 Gulf, involving 34.5 million acres. The Minerals Management 

 Service's DEIS on the proposed lease sales noted that five 

 species of endangered whales (fin, humpback, right, sei, and 

 sperm whales) occur in the Gulf of Mexico. While it is 



