One of the most significant events of 1988 was reauthori- 

 zation and amendment of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. 

 Chapter II discusses the issues considered during reauthori- 

 zation hearings held by Congressional committees of both the 

 Senate and the House of Representatives. These issues were 

 addressed in subsequent amendments signed into law on 23 

 November 1988. Among other things, the amendments exempt 

 United States and some foreign fisheries from the general 

 permit and small take provisions of the Act until 1 October 

 1993. They also require owners of vessels engaged in fisheries 

 that incidentally catch marine mammals either frequently or 

 occasionally to register their boats with the National Marine 

 Fisheries Service and report all interactions with marine 

 mammals. If implemented effectively, the amendments will 

 substantially strengthen the Marine Mammal Protection Act. 



Every year, the Marine Mammal Commission devotes special 

 attention to certain species or populations that are of par- 

 ticular concern. Among the thirteen species addressed in 

 Chapter III of this Report are the West Indian manatee, the 

 Hawaiian monk seal, the right whale, the humpback whale, the 

 North Pacific fur seal, and the California sea otter. All 

 have been the subject of intensive work by the Commission for 

 a number of years. 



The West Indian manatee population in the southeastern 

 United States and the Hawaiian monk seal both are in serious 

 jeopardy because of taking of the animals by accident or 

 incidental to fishing, habitat degradation and destruction, 

 and a variety of other threats. It is not alarmist to consider 

 the possibility of extinction. For these reasons, the 

 Commission has devoted and will continue to devote substantial 

 effort to protecting and encouraging recovery of these species. 



Like manatees and monk seals, right and humpback whales 

 also are endangered. The activities of the Commission and 

 others to establish recovery teams, develop recovery plans, and 

 carry out the work described in the recovery plans also are 

 discussed in Chapter III. In many cases, action has come 

 about because of the Commission's persistence in forcing 

 issues. In some cases, like the North Pacific fur seal, 

 species occur only partly or seasonally in U.S. waters and 

 continuing efforts to develop and implement cooperative 

 international conservation programs are needed. Other species, 

 like the river dolphins, Hector's dolphin, the Gulf of 

 California harbor porpoise, and the West African manatee, are 

 not found in U.S. waters, but are discussed here because they 

 have become the focus of much-needed international attention. 

 When possible and appropriate, the Commission helps support 

 measures for the protection of such species. 



