the Commission organized and supported the preparation of 

 species reports with research and management recommendations 

 for ten species. The reports, the cooperative effort of many 

 informed contributors of widely varying interests were published 

 in 1988 and are discussed in Chapter IX. In that Chapter, a 

 variety of other issues affecting the Native community, 

 government agencies, and marine mammals in Alaska are discussed 

 as well. 



Since activities related to the exploration for and exploi- 

 tation of offshore oil and gas resources can affect marine 

 mammals and their habitats, the Commission has conducted a 

 continuing review of proposed activities and has provided advice 

 to the Minerals Management Service and other agencies on actions 

 needed to ensure that such activities do not have significant 

 adverse effects on marine mammals or the ecosystems of which 

 they are a part. These efforts are described in Chapter X. 



The Marine Mammal Commission is directed by statute to 

 carry out a research program. That program is described in 

 Chapter XI of this Report. Other research-related activities 

 of the Commission, such as its annual survey of Federally-funded 

 marine mammal research programs and the convening of a number 

 of research program reviews and workshops are also discussed. 



Chapters XII and XIII describe issues related to the permit 

 process and regulations to govern the care and maintenance of 

 marine mammals in captivity. Both are of considerable impor- 

 tance and have been the subject of much attention by the 

 Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors. 



It is the Marine Mammal Commission's hope that this Report 

 will serve as a useful and reliable reference document for 

 interested individuals and groups in the United States and 

 abroad. 



