CHAPTER V 



MARINE MAMMAL MANAGEMENT IN ALASKA 



Since enactment of the Marine Mammal Protection Act in 

 1972, issues concerning marine mammals in Alaska have assumed 

 greater significance and have been the focus of more 

 attention than those in any other state. A number of states 

 are confronted with important conservation problems that 

 involve one or more species of marine mammals. Alaska, 

 however, by virtue of the large number of marine mammal 

 species found there, its extensive coastline, the use of 

 marine mammals for subsistence purposes by Alaska Natives, 

 and the many other management issues concerning marine 

 mammals, presents extraordinary conservation challenges. 



In recognition of this fact, the Commission has made 

 marine mammal issues in Alaska a matter of high priority. In 

 1984 and 1985, for example, the Commission devoted 16 percent 

 and 28 percent of its research budgets, respectively, to 

 marine mammal issues in Alaska. In 1986, the Commission 

 continued its heavy investment in Alaskan work and held its 

 public annual meeting with its full Committee of Scientific 

 Advisors in Anchorage in late October. 



Marine Mammal Working Groups and Species Reports 



The Marine Mammal Protection Act makes provision for 

 management of marine mammals by the Federal Government and, 

 under certain conditions described in the next section, by 

 states. It has been the Commission's view that wherever 

 management authority resides, such authority must rest upon a 

 foundation of carefully described research and management 

 programs. To develop recommendations for such research and 

 management programs, the Commission established the Alaska 

 Marine Mammal Working Groups in 1984. 



In so doing, the Commission determined that the issue of 

 who has management authority, while important, could not be 

 allowed to further thwart the development of sound research 

 and management programs. This had been happening for many 

 years following passage of the Act. During that time, 

 management had been sought by the State of Alaska for a 

 number of species, granted to the State for walrus, and 



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