better assess and detect the effects of pollution and 

 activities such as offshore oil and gas exploration and 

 development on marine mammals and their habitat; and 



develop better methods for assessing and monitoring the 

 status of marine mammal populations, determining habitat 

 requirements and essential habitats, and assessing and 

 detecting the effects of human activities on marine mammals 

 and their habitat. 



As noted earlier in this Chapter, agencies such as the 

 National Marine Fisheries Service, the Fish and Wildlife Ser- 

 vice, and the Minerals Management Service have primary responsi- 

 bility for ensuring that needed research and studies are done. 

 The Commission is responsible for assessing the adequacy of 

 the agency programs and for seeing that any additional work 

 is done which it deems necessary or desirable for meeting the 

 objectives of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. To meet its 

 responsibilities, the Commission, in Fiscal Year 1988, will 

 continue to hold workshops, convene plenary meetings, and 

 contract for studies to help identify potential solutions to 

 critical problems. In particular, the Commission expects to 

 organize, convene, or help support workshops, program reviews, 

 and planning meetings to: (1) facilitate development of a 

 long-range conservation plan for the North Pacific fur seal; 

 (2) expedite investigations of the continuing die-off of bottle- 

 nose dolphins along the U.S. Atlantic coast; (3) determine 

 further actions that usefully can be taken to prevent or miti- 

 gate problems being caused by lost and discarded fishing gear 

 and other hazardous marine debris; (4) identify and determine 

 how to avoid or minimize marine mammal conservation problems 

 being caused by fishery development, potential mineral develop- 

 ment, and other activities in the seas surrounding Antarctica; 

 (5) develop recovery plans for endangered cetaceans; (6) assess 

 possible amendments to strengthen and improve the effectiveness 

 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act; and (7) improve planning 

 and coordination of marine mammal research and management 

 programs being conducted or supported by Federal, state, and 

 private organizations. 



162 



