- 58 - 



the previous Annual Report, the Commission provided $10,000 

 to the California Department of Fish and Game in 198 2 to 

 augment ongoing studies of the problem and to assist in 

 determining how programs being conducted, supported, or 

 planned by other organizations could usefully expedite 

 acquisition of needed data. 



A hiring freeze within the State Government and other 

 factors prevented development of the comprehensive program 

 needed to clearly define the problem and possible solutions. 

 Therefore, in 1983, the Commission, as described in Chapter 

 II, provided funds to continue and expand observations of 

 gill and trammel net fisheries in and near Morro Bay and 

 Monterey Bay. In addition, following the program review 

 described below, the Commission recommended that the Fish 

 and Wildlife Service: undertake an in-depth review of the 

 assessment/mitigation programs being conducted and planned 

 by both the California Department of Fish and Game and the 

 Fish and Wildlife Service; consult with California Department 

 of Fish and Game representatives and other knowledgeable 

 persons to determine how ongoing and planned programs should 

 be improved to better define the problem and to develop and 

 evaluate possible mitigation measures; assess the potential 

 effectiveness of prohibiting gill and trammel net fishing 

 in waters less than 2 fathoms deep; and provide such funding 

 or other assistance as may be necessary to describe, design, 

 and implement the required assessment/mitigation program. 



General Program Review 



On 23 August 1983, the Marine Mammal Commission, in 

 consultation with its Committee of Scientific Advisors, 

 convened a meeting of representatives of the Fish and 

 Wildlife Service, the California Department of Fish and 

 Game, the Minerals Management Service, the fishing and oil 

 industries, and public interest groups to review programs 

 being conducted or planned to facilitate implementation of 

 the Southern Sea Otter Recovery Plan. As a result of the 

 review, the Commission identified the following actions as 

 necessary for the Fish and Wildlife Service, in consultation 

 with other involved groups, to undertake immediately: 1) 

 expedite assessment and reduction of sea otter mortality in 

 gill and trammel nets; 2) determine the optimal design and 

 establish agreed-upon schedules and procedures for periodic 

 population surveys; 3) complete the Sea Otter Mapping Project 

 described in the Commission's previous Annual Report; 4) 

 select a translocation site or sites and develop a proposed 

 translocation plan or plans that can be subjected to legal, 



