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In FY 1981, Congress appropriated special funds to the 

 National Park Service which were transferred to the National 

 Marine Fisheries Service to support the recommended studies. 

 The studies were begun in the spring of 1981 and, in December 

 1981, the Commission convened a second workshop to review 

 the preliminary results. The workshop participants concluded, 

 among other things, that additional studies were needed and, 

 in 1982, the National Park Service again transferred funds 

 to the National Marine Fisheries Service to continue research 

 on the relationships between whales and prey and whales and 

 boats in Glacier Bay and nearby waters. 



On 19-20 May 1983, the National Marine Fisheries Service 

 convened a meeting to review the results of the research 

 carried out in 1981 and 1982. Representatives of the 

 Commission, the National Park Service, the Alaska fishing 

 industry, the tour ship industry, the academic community, 

 and public interest groups participated in the meeting. The 

 National Marine Fisheries Service subsequently reviewed its 

 earlier Biological Opinion in light of the new information and, 

 by letter of 22 June 1983, responded to a National Park Service 

 request to reinitiate the Section 7 consultation concerning 

 endangered humpback whales in Glacier Bay. In its letter, 

 the National Marine Fisheries Service indicated that current 

 Park Service restrictions on vessel numbers and operations 

 were not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the 

 southeastern Alaska stock of humpback whales, but that the 

 stock likely would be jeopardized if the amount of vessel 

 use were allowed to increase without limit, or if present 

 vessel operational restrictions were removed. The Service 

 also indicated that some increase in the amount of vessel 

 use probably could be permitted without jeopardizing the 

 southeastern Alaska humpback whale stock, provided increases 

 were implemented in a conservative manner and with an appropriate 

 monitoring program. 



Regulations promulgated by the National Park Service to 

 control vessel access and operations in Glacier Bay, and to 

 protect humpback whale prey species, expired on 31 August 

 and 31 December 1983, respectively. New regulations, responsive 

 to the findings of the National Marine Fisheries Service's 

 Biological Opinion, presumably will be proposed early in 

 1984. The Commission, in consultation with its Committee of 

 Scientific Advisors, will review the proposed regulations 

 and other relevant information to determine whether any 

 additional action may be necessary to protect humpback 

 whales or their habitat in Glacier Bay and surrounding 

 waters . 



