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Proposed PCS 1985 Lease Sales 

 Gulf of Mexico 



As part of the process of preparing a DEIS to cover all 

 lease offerings planned for the Gulf of Mexico in 1985, the 

 Minerals Management Service on 22 July 198 3 requested an 

 update of previously provided environmental/resource information 

 pertaining to the area. The Commission, in consultation 

 with its Committee of Scientific Advisors, responded on 29 

 August, noting that there are two species of marine mammals 

 in the Gulf of Mexico planning area that are of particular 

 concern, the endangered West Indian manatee and the bottlenose 

 dolphin. 



As regards the manatee, the Commission noted that the 

 Fish and Wildlife Service, in consultation with the Commission 

 and others, was in the process of preparing a research/management 

 plan for the manatee sub-population in the Crystal River and 

 surrounding areas of northwest Florida and that activities 

 and events associated with offshore oil and gas development 

 in the eastern Gulf of Mexico could have a bearing on implementation 

 of this plan. In its comments, the Commission suggested 

 that, if the Service had not already done so, it obtain a 

 copy of the draft plan and consult with the Fish and Wildlife 

 Service to determine whether there is anything the Minerals 

 Management Service should be doing to facilitate implementation 

 of the plan or to otherwise ensure that the proposed leasing 

 activities would not jeopardize the West Indian manatee. 



With respect to the bottlenose dolphin, the Commission 

 noted that the species is the most abundant marine mammal in 

 coastal Gulf waters and, as such, is the marine mammal most 

 likely to be exposed to and perhaps affected by offshore oil 

 and gas activities. The Commission also noted that: assessment 

 and monitoring of bottlenose dolphins in several representative 

 areas along the Gulf coast would be useful for assuring that 

 offshore oil and gas development does not adversely affect 

 local populations of that species or other marine mammals; 

 the Gulf of Mexico Cetacean and Sea Turtle Workshop, sponsored 

 by the Minerals Management Service in April 1982, reached 

 similar conclusions; and the National Marine Fisheries 

 Service has initiated a well-conceived research program to 

 assess and monitor selected populations and sub-populations 

 of bottlenose dolphins in the coastal waters of the southeastern 

 and Gulf states. The Commission recommended that, if the 

 Minerals Management Service had not already done so, it 

 consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service to 

 determine what, if any, further measures may be needed to 

 assess and monitor possible adverse effects that offshore 

 oil and gas development may have on local bottlenose dolphin 

 populations . 



