Based on the results of the meetings and consultations, 

 the National Park Service initiated a multiyear research 

 program in 1980 to assess factors possibly affecting the 

 distribution of humpback whales in Glacier Bay and surrounding 

 waters. It also promulgated temporary regulations which, 

 among other things, limited the number of large commercial 

 tour ships and smaller recreational vessels which could enter 

 the Bay to 1976 levels (i.e., the level of use during the 

 year before the marked decline in whale numbers was observed 

 in the Bay) . The temporary regulations also established a 

 mechanism for designating temporary "whale waters" in which 

 certain vessel operating restrictions were to apply. In 

 subsequent years, these regulations were modified and reissued 

 annually until 1985, when the National Park Service published 

 permanent regulations for the protection of humpback whales 

 in the Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. These regula- 

 tions establish a permit system for vessel entries, prohibit 

 the harvest of certain humpback whale prey species in the Bay, 

 and provide for designating "whale waters." 



Since the early 1980s, the National Park Service has 

 gradually allowed more vessels to enter the Bay during the 

 summer whale season. Its decisions in this regard were based 

 on results of relevant research, periodic consultations with 

 the National Marine Fisheries Service, and other relevant 

 information. During this period, the use of the Bay by humpback 

 whales has increased and, between June and September 1987, 33 

 individual humpback whales were identified in Glacier Bay. 

 This is the largest recorded number since systematic surveys 

 of the area began in the early 1970s. On 4 September, the 

 Service announced plans to further increase allowable vessel 

 entries by an additional seven percent in 1988. This level 

 would represent a 20 percent increase over 1976 levels. 

 Following a 30-day comment period, the Service's plans for 

 increasing permitted vessel entries in 1988 were finalized. 



Humpback Whales in New England 



In late November 1987, humpback whales began dying and 

 washing up on beaches of Cape Cod Bay. By the end of the 

 year, at least 13 humpback whales, two minke whales, and a fin 

 whale had died in the area. These mortalities were particularly 

 alarming due to the endangered status of humpback and fin 

 whales and the continuing die-off of bottlenose dolphins 

 along the U.S. east coast (see Chapter III of this report). 

 An investigation of the humpback die-off was initiated by the 

 National Marine Fisheries Service, in consultation with the 

 Commission. It was directed by a member of the Commission's 

 Committee of Scientific Advisors and involved researchers 

 from the New England Aquarium, the Service's Gloucester Labora- 

 tory, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and the Massachu- 

 setts Department of Public Health. Tests of Atlantic mackerel 



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