In recent years, the Commission has worked with the Animal 

 and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Fish and Wildlife 

 Service, and the National Marine Fisheries Service to assist in 

 implementation of the care and maintenance standards. In 1985, 

 for example, the four agencies sponsored a three-day training 

 seminar for Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

 inspectors to provide them with background that is likely to 

 assist them in performing their duties. 



In addition, the Commission occasionally becomes involved 

 in on-site inspections of marine mammal facilities. On 4 

 October 1985, representatives of the Committee of Scientific 

 Advisors and the National Marine Fisheries Service assisted the 

 Animal and Plant Health Inspection Seirvice in an on-site review 

 of a public display facility with a history of compliance prob- 

 lems under the Standards for the Humane Handling, Care, Treat- 

 ment and Transportation of Marine Mammals. The inter-agency 

 team's findings were transmitted to the Department of Agri- 

 culture, Office of General Counsel, for action. On 7 July 1986, 

 the Department of Agriculture filed a complaint against the 

 facility seeking a cease and desist order for violations of the 

 Standards, civil penalties, and suspension or revocation of the 

 facility's license. The facility answered the complaint on 24 

 July 1986, denying the actionable allegations. A hearing is 

 scheduled for early in 1987. 



In August 1985, the Commission convened a Working Group to 

 address the problems that are becoming apparent as a result of 

 additions to captive populations of marine mammals from captive- 

 born and beached/rehabilitated stock. Particular emphasis was 

 placed on behavioral, biological, and legal issues associated 

 with the release of captive-born marine mammals to the wild. 

 The Working Group was directed to collect relevant data and 

 information, identify and address behavioral and biological 

 issues, analyze related legal questions, and suggest needed 

 research, as well as desirable statutory, regulatory and admin- 

 istrative changes. Participants in the Working Group include 

 members of the Commission's staff and the Committee of Scien- 

 tific Advisors on Marine Mammals. At the end of 1986, the 

 Working Group was in the process of refining a draft version of 

 the report. When completed, this draft will be provided to 

 other government agencies and interested parties for review. 



Also in 1985, the Commission staff, utilizing data obtained 

 from the National Marine Fisheries Service, began an analysis of 

 the survival patterns for three species of captive cetaceans. 

 The purpose of this study is to estimate the average annual 

 survival rate for each of the three species (bottlenose 

 dolphins, white whales, and killer whales) , to determine whether 

 survival rates are significantly different in different insti- 

 tutions, and to compare findings with the literature on the 

 survival of captive and free-ranging cetaceans. A draft of the 

 study report was reviewed during 1986. The final report is 

 expected to be issued early in 1987. 



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