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CHAPTER VI 



SPECIES OF SPECIAL CONCERN 



The Marine Mammal Commission, in consultation with its 

 Committee of Scientific Advisors on Marine Mammals, reviews 

 the status of marine mammal populations and makes recommenda- 

 tions on necessary research and management actions as well 

 as on designations with respect to the status of the species 

 or population under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and 

 the Endangered Species Act. During 1983, the Commission 

 continued to concentrate its efforts on several species of 

 marine mammals designated as "endangered" or "threatened," 

 including the West Indian manatee, the Hawaiian monk seal, 

 the California sea otter, the bowhead whale, the right 

 whale, and the humpback whale. Attention was also focused 

 on bottlenose dolphin populations in the southeastern 

 United States, the Gulf of California harbor porpoise, 

 the Guadalupe fur seal, and the harbor porpoise population 

 off the coast of California. Detailed discussion of 

 the Commission's activities regarding these animals 

 follows . 



West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus ) 



The West Indian manatee is one of the most endangered 

 species of marine mammals found in the coastal waters of 

 the United States. The largest concentrations are found 

 in Florida where the population generally has been estimated 

 to be somewhat more than 1,000 animals. Over the past few 

 years, the continued high level of mortality, including 

 a record number of reported deaths in 1982, and continued 

 destruction and degradation of manatee habitat have raised 

 doubts as to whether the population can long survive. 

 However, increasing efforts to identify and protect 

 essential habitat and a considerable reduction in manatee 

 mortality in 1983 are causes for renewed hope. 



