mortality and reproduction; (c) complete analysis of existing 

 population data; and (d) develop a fur seal population model 

 to assist in evaluating trend data and identifying critical 

 information needs. 



With respect to documenting the cause or causes of the 

 population decline, the Commission recommended that the Service: 

 (a) conduct a pilot study to evaluate possible methods for 

 testing the hypothesis that fur seals, particularly pups and 

 juveniles, are attracted to and become entangled in large 

 fragments of net debris at sea; (b) contract with an appropriate 

 individual or organization, or convene a workshop, to assess 

 the technological and economic feasibility of using existing 

 or developing new tagging and tracking technology to determine 

 when, where, and how fur seals, particularly pups, die at sea; 

 (c) expand observer and other monitoring programs to better 

 determine the number of fur seals being taken incidentally in 

 the North Pacific Ocean high sea squid fishery; and (d) review 

 existing information and conduct additional studies as necessary 

 to determine whether hook worm or emaciation syndrome may be 

 causing or contributing to the population decline. 



Following consideration of the Commission's comments and 

 recommendations and those of a panel of experts constituted 

 to facilitate the program review, the Service revised its 

 1987 research plans. In April 1987, the Service's National 

 Marine Mammal Laboratory applied for a permit to conduct a 

 broad range of fur seal research over the next five years. 

 The Commission reviewed the application and, by letter of 18 

 June 1987, recommended authorizing tagging and observation 

 studies to better document trends in population size and 

 productivity. The Commission questioned the rationale of 

 several proposed studies to assess the effects of entanglement 

 in small net fragments and recommended that authorization for 

 these studies be denied. The Commission further noted that 

 the Laboratory was requesting authorization for a number of 

 research activities not included in the accompanying project 

 descriptions. It recommended that authorization of these 

 activities, to be conducted in the latter four years of the 

 permit period, be deferred pending development and review of 

 a comprehensive fur seal conservation plan. 



By letter of 22 June 1987, the Service advised the Com- 

 mission that, in recognition of the Commission's position on 

 evaluating the role of entanglement in the northern fur seal 

 population decline, the Service had revised its approach and 

 that $55,000 from the Service's Marine Entanglement Research 

 Program (see Chapter VI) had been provided to the National 

 Marine Mammal Laboratory to: (1) organize and hold a workshop 

 to better determine and agree on research necessary to document 

 the role of entanglement in the fur seal population decline; 

 (2) develop and use a population model to assist in assessing 



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