Since the early 1980s, the National Park Service has 

 gradually allowed more vessels to enter the Bay during the 

 summer whale season. Its decisions in this regard were based 

 on results of relevant research, periodic consultations with 

 the National Marine Fisheries Service, and other relevant 

 information. During this period, use of the Bay by humpback 

 whales has increased and, between June and September 1987, 33 

 individual humpback whales were observed in Glacier Bay. 

 This is the largest recorded number since systematic surveys 

 of the area began in the early 1970s. 



On 4 September 1987, the Service announced plans to 

 further increase allowable vessel entries by an additional 

 seven percent in 1988. This increase, combined with a 13 

 percent increase in the preceding year, made the authorized 

 entry level 20 percent greater than the 1976 level. Follow- 

 ing a 30-day comment period, the proposed increase in per- 

 mitted vessel entries for 1988 was adopted. 



On 5 October 1988, the National Park Service provided 

 the Commission and others a description of the humpback whale 

 research and monitoring information from 1988. At the same 

 time, it provided and reguested comments on proposed vessel 

 regulations for 1989. In its discussion, the Park Service 

 noted that the 13 percent increase in vessel traffic in 1987 

 and the subseguent 7 percent increase in 1988 made a combined 

 increase of 20 percent, as recommended in the National Marine 

 Fisheries Service's 1983 Biological Opinion. The Opinion 

 also recommended that the National Park Service monitor a 

 minimum of two years of vessel use before considering addi- 

 tional increases in vessel entries and that additional traffic 

 be allowed only if the number of individual whales entering 

 the Bay remained egual to or greater than the 1982 level. 



Monitoring of whale use of Glacier Bay in 1988 showed a 

 total count of 39 whales for the period of 2 June to 14 

 September, the highest number ever recorded during the past 

 four years of whale censusing. A total of 55 individual 

 whales, including seven calves, were identified in the combined 

 areas of Glacier Bay and Icy Strait, four lower than the 1987 

 count of 59 whales in the combined areas. 



In its discussion, the National Park Service noted that 

 past studies and its annual whale monitoring program raise a 

 distinct possibility that the number of vessels and how they 

 are operated could adversely affect whales in Glacier Bay. 

 Based on the intent of the Biological Opinion and a review of 

 recent whale activity in Glacier Bay, the National Park Service 

 proposed no change in permitted vessel entries for the 1989 

 season. 



60 



