During the Sixth Conference of Convention Parties, repre- 

 sentatives of the five walrus range states (Denmark, Canada, 

 Norway, the Soviet Union, and the United States) held two 

 informal meetings with proponents of the proposal to review 

 recent information on the status of the species and applicable 

 management measures. Based on the information presented and 

 commitments made by the five range states to carry forward 

 certain research and management actions, The Netherlands 

 withdrew its proposal to add walrus to Appendix II. In satis- 

 faction of one of those commitments, the Fish and Wildlife 

 Service, in June 1988, published marking and tagging regulations 

 that will assist it in monitoring the harvest of walrus for 

 subsistence and handicraft purposes and in obtaining essential 

 biological data needed to effectively manage the Alaska walrus 

 population. 



The only other suggested change in the Appendices involving 

 marine mammals made during the Sixth Conference of Parties 

 was a proposal submitted by the Government of Switzerland 

 concerning the West African manatee ( Trichechus senegalensis ) . 

 This species is listed on Appendix II and, as part of a ten-year 

 review of the status of species listed on the Appendices, 

 consideration was given to removing the species from Appendix 

 II or transferring it to Appendix I. After consideration, 

 the West African manatee was retained on Appendix II. The 

 chairman of the ten-year review committee, however, proposed 

 that the newly established Animals Committee investigate and 

 report on such trade problems as may exist for any of the four 

 species of Sirenia. The proposal was referred to the Committee 

 for consideration, and it is expected that the matter will be 

 reviewed at the Conference of Parties in 1989. 



In preparation for the Seventh Conference of Parties, the 

 Fish and Wildlife Service published a 14 September 1988 Federal 

 Register notice soliciting suggestions for additions to, 

 removals from, or reclassification of species listed on the 

 Convention's appendices. The public comment period closed on 

 13 December 1988 and, as of the end of 1988, no listing changes 

 for marine mammals had been proposed. 



Arctic Research and Policy 



Environmental factors in the Arctic influence regional and 

 global climatic processes and living resources of national 

 and international importance. Some of the world's most 

 productive fishing grounds are found in or adjacent to Arctic 

 areas. Marine mammals inhabiting Arctic and adjacent areas 

 include more than ten pinniped species, more than ten cetacean 

 species, the polar bear, the walrus, and the sea otter. 

 Effective conservation of these and other wildlife species 

 and prediction of global climate and weather patterns require 



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