the translocation plan is to be a general description of the 

 expected relationship between the successful establishment of 

 a translocated population and the status of the species under 

 the Endangered Species Act. 



In order to remove constraints under the Marine Mammal 

 Protection Act that sea otters be taken only for research 

 purposes, the sea otter translocation amendment provides that 

 actions necessary to effect the relocation or man?.gement of 

 sea otters under the plan shall not be considered violations 

 of either the Endangered Species Act or the Marine Mammal 

 Protection Act. In an effort to provide as much cortainty as 

 possible concerning offshore oil and gas development and 

 other activities, the sea otter translocation amendment 

 provides for an early consultation procedure to Iw initiated 

 and completed prior to the translocation. Only those 

 activities that had advanced to a stage where, in the judg- 

 ment of the Secretary, meaningful consultation could take 

 place would be subject to this requirement. Anticipating 

 implementation of a translocation plan in 1986, the sea otter 

 translocation amendment set 1 April 1986 as the deadline for 

 requests for early consultation. 



As a result of enactment of this amendment, the Service 

 will revise the Environmental Impact Statement to indicate 

 that, if it is decided to translocate sea otters, action will 

 be taken in accordance with the requirements of Public Law 

 99-625. The Final Environmental Impact Statement is expected 

 to be issued by mid-1987. 



Humpback Whale (Meqaptera novaeanqliae) 



Humpback whales, which are found in most of the world's 

 oceans, have been severely reduced in number as a result of 

 commercial whaling. Commercial hunting of the species has 

 been banned by the International Whaling Commission since 

 1966, and, in 1970, the species was designated as endangered 

 under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. However, a small 

 number of humpback whales are still taken in Greenland and 

 Bequia for subsistence purposes. In these and other areas, 

 the species' potential recovery also may be threatened by 

 human activities such as commercial and recreational vessel 

 activity, offshore oil and gas development, commercial 

 fisheries, and coastal development. 



In view of potential adverse impacts of human activities 

 on humpback whales and other endangered whales, the Commis- 

 sion recommended to the National Marine Fisheries Service in 

 1984 that the Service prepare recovery plans for these 

 species. In March 1985, the Service advised the Commission 

 that it had decided to defer preparation of recovery plans 



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