reducing incidental take. Estimates for incidental take in 

 each fishing season under the permit are as follows: 



Estimated Incidental Take of Pall's Porpoise 



by the Japanese Salmon Drift Net Fishery 



in the North Pacific Ocean 



The low level of take in 1987 reflects, in large part, a 

 further reduction in fishing effort. The estimated take rate 

 in the U.S. Fishery Conservation Zone before the 1987 season 

 has been estimated at 0.47 porpoise per gill net operation. 

 The mean observed take rate for the 1987 season was 0.26 

 porpoise per set. 



The 1987 Permit 



The extension of the 1981 general permit under the North 

 Pacific Fisheries Act expired on 9 June 1987. In order to fish 

 for salmon with gill nets in the U.S. Fishery Conservation Zone 

 beyond that date, the Federation was reguired to have its 

 permit renewed, pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act. 



On 21 July 1986, the Federation applied to the National 

 Marine Fisheries Service for a five-year general permit to 

 incidentally take 5,500 Dall's porpoise, 450 northern fur seals, 

 and 25 northern sea lions. By Federal Register notice of 20 

 August 1986, the Service announced receipt of the application 

 and published proposed regulations to implement the permit. 

 A Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the permit reguest 

 was issued on 29 August 1986. 



Pursuant to section 103 of the Marine Mammal Protection 

 Act, a formal rulemaking procedure was initiated on the appli- 

 cation. The parties to the proceeding were: the permit 

 applicant, the Federation of Japan Cooperative Fisheries 

 Association; several environmental organizations; the Kokechik 

 and Qaluyaat Fishermen's Associations, representing Alaska 

 Eskimos; the Marine Mammal Commission; and the National Marine 

 Fisheries Service. 



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