Preliminary results of the continuing investigations 

 were reviewed during the Commission's Annual Meeting in Miami, 

 Florida, on 10-12 December 1987, and were discussed in the 

 previous Annual Report. It was apparent that further studies 

 were required to determine whether one or more viruses, environ- 

 mental pollutants, or natural environmental fluctuations were 

 the primary cause or a factor contributing to the die-off. 

 It also was apparent that further studies were necessary to 

 identify the distribution and patterns of mortality and its 

 impact on nearshore and offshore stocks of bottlenose dolphins 

 and other marine species. 



Following its Annual Meeting, the Commission consulted 

 with the National Marine Fisheries Service and others to 

 determine what might be done to expedite the investigation. 

 On 16 March 1988, the Commission wrote to the National Marine 

 Fisheries Service noting that, although it had not been 

 anticipated at the end of 1987, the dolphin die-off had 

 continued and that the cause or causes of mortality were still 

 unknown. Therefore, the Commission recommended: (1) that the 

 Service appoint a senior scientist to administer the program; 

 (2) that all four elements of the program (medicine, environ- 

 mental correlates, natural history, and population dynamics) 

 be reviewed by involved scientists and independent experts 

 with respect to plans for continuation of the investigation 

 and development of contingency plans, should the die-off resume 

 in the summer; (3) that the programs in medicine and environ- 

 mental correlates be separated from the other elements and 

 reviewed immediately; (4) that, as soon as possible, the Service 

 take necessary steps to secure adequate funding; (5) that 

 other responsible federal agencies be advised of the need to 

 provide support for the investigation; (6) that these agencies 

 be invited to participate in the reviews proposed by the 

 Commission; (7) that a second full review be scheduled for 

 sometime in early summer to finalize plans to address a die- 

 off, should one occur again in 1988; and (8) that the Service 

 continue to maintain an active presence in areas where animals 

 are dying to ensure that dead animals are collected and 

 appropriate specimen material taken and preserved for analysis. 

 In its letter, the Commission endorsed the Service's plan to 

 appoint Dr. Geraci as special advisor on the die-off 

 investigation and recommended that he be provided with 

 sufficient funds to retain the help necessary to carry out 

 this work. 



The Service wrote to the Commission on 8 April, responding 

 directly to the recommendations contained in the Commission's 

 16 March letter. In its letter, the Service stated that it 

 had assigned lead responsibility for the die-off investigation 

 to a senior staff scientist; that a program review would be 

 convened with involved and independent scientists; that 

 attention would be focused on contingency planning, should a 



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