CHAPTER IX 



MARINE MAMMAL MANAGEMENT IN ALASKA 



Since enactment of the Marine Mammal Protection Act in 

 1972, issues concerning marine mammals in Alaska have assumed 

 greater significance and have been the focus of more attention 

 than those in any other state. A number of states are con- 

 fronted with important conservation problems that involve one 

 or more species of marine mammals. Alaska, however, by virtue 

 of the large number of marine mammal species found there, its 

 extensive coastline, the use of marine mammals for subsistence 

 purposes by Alaska Natives, interactions with commercial 

 fisheries, and many other management issues concerning marine 

 mammals, presents extraordinary conservation challenges. In 

 recognition of this fact, the Commission has made marine mammal 

 issues in Alaska a matter of high priority. 



Marine Mammal Working; Groups and Species Reports 



The Marine Mammal Protection Act makes provision for 

 management of marine mammals by the Federal Government and, 

 under certain conditions described in the next section, by 

 states. It has been the Commission's view that, whether manage- 

 ment authority resides with the State, the Federal Government, 

 or a cooperating group of interests, such authority must rest 

 upon a foundation of carefully described and generally accepted 

 research and management programs. To develop such programs, 

 the Commission established, in 1984, Alaska Marine Mammal 

 Working Groups to oversee development of species reports for 

 ten species of marine mammals in Alaska: walrus (Odobenus 

 rosmarus ) , polar bear (Ursus maritimus ) , ringed seal (Phoca 

 hispida ) , bearded seal ( Erignathus barbatus) , ribbon seal 

 ( Phoca fasciata) , spotted seal ( Phoca largha i , harbor seal 

 ( Phoca vitulina ) , northern sea lion ( Eumetopias jubatus ) , 

 beluga whale ( Delph inapt erus leucas) , and sea otter ( Enhydra 

 lutris) . 



The Commission adopted the working group approach as a 

 way of further focusing attention on the species in question, 

 not upon bureaucratic processes, and in the belief that: 

 (a) research and management plans should be developed in a 

 non-political environment with benefit of carefully developed 

 and generally agreed-upon species accounts and problem descrip- 

 tions as base documents; (b) research upon which to base an 

 effective marine mammal conservation program must be derived 

 from, among other things, careful consideration of both research 

 and management issues; and (c) to be useful, species reports 



171 



