The Pall's Porpoise Issue 



Ball's porpoise ( Phocoenoides dalli ) become entangled 

 and die in gill nets used by Japanese salmon fishermen in the 

 North Pacific Ocean. Pursuant to the International Conven- 

 tion for the High Seas Fisheries of the North Pacific, the 

 Japanese are permitted to fish for salmon inside the U.S. 

 200-mile Fishery Conservation Zone. As noted in previous 

 Annual Reports, the fishery is subject to provisions of a 

 Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and 

 Japan on coordinated research efforts, the Marine Mammal 

 Protection Act, the North Pacific Fisheries Act, and general 

 permit requirements. 



A general permit authorizing the Federation of Japan 

 Salmon Fisheries Cooperative Association to incidentally take 

 up to 5,500 Dall's porpoise, 450 northern fur seals, and 25 

 northern sea lions per year was issued for the 1981-1983 

 fishing seasons. Through the 1982 amendments to the North 

 Pacific Fisheries Act, which implements the Convention in the 

 United States, the general permit was extended until 9 June 

 1987. The amendments required the Japanese to introduce new 

 fishing gear and techniques to reduce the incidental take of 

 porpoise. In addition, the National Marine Fisheries Service 

 is required annually to prepare a detailed action plan con- 

 cerning monitoring, research, development, and other neces- 

 sary actions. 



Under section 14(a)(2) of the North Pacific Fisheries 

 Act, Japan is required to have introduced new gear or fishing 

 techniques into at least 75 percent of its drift gill net 

 fleet by the 1986 fishing season. The National Marine 

 Fisheries Service has authority under the Act to determine 

 what types of fishing gear or techniques offer the most 

 practical and effective opportunity for reducing porpoise 

 mortality and to specify which of those must be adopted by 

 the Japanese fleet. Although it concluded that more research 

 on gear modifications is required, the Service determined in 

 1984 that three-strand, air-tube thread should be used in the 

 gill nets employed by the Japanese catcherboats. It is hoped 

 that this gear modification will make it easier for porpoise 

 to detect and avoid gill nets through echolocation. In 1987, 

 all catcherboats will be required to use modified gear. 

 Questions have been raised, however, about the effectiveness 

 of the air-tube thread as a method for reducing Dall's 

 porpoise mortality, and additional research is needed. 



Estimates based on U.S. observer coverage of the 

 Japanese fishing operations indicate that there has been no 

 progress in reducing the level of Dall's porpoise mortality 

 since the permit was issued. Incidental take estimates for 

 each fishing season under the permit are shown on the 

 following page: 



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