areas and wildlife for consideration at the Second Meeting of 

 Contracting Parties, to be held in Mexico City in 1989. 



The area covered by the Convention includes habitat for 

 the endangered West Indian manatee, the endangered humpback 

 whale, and the Caribbean monk seal, which is widely believed 

 to be extinct. The Marine Mammal Commission believes that 

 identification and protection of important habitats are essen- 

 tial to the protection and recovery of these and other 

 endangered or threatened marine mammal species. In 1988, the 

 Commission will continue to work with the Department of State, 

 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, other 

 Federal agencies, and public interest groups to further develop 

 and implement strategies for protecting marine mammals and 

 their habitat in the wider Caribbean region. 



108 



