In 1989, the Commission will continue to work with the 

 Department of State to establish a marine scientific organi- 

 zation for the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. 



U.S./U.S.S.R. Environmental Agreement 



The U.S./U.S.S.R. Agreement on Cooperation in the Field 

 of Environmental Protection was signed in 1972. Among other 

 things, the agreement provides a forum for discussion of 

 marine mammal issues in the North Pacific. 



In 1973, a Marine Mammal Joint Working Group was estab- 

 lished under Area V of the Environmental Agreement. Since 

 1976 this group has been known as the U.S./U.S.S.R. Marine 

 Mammal Project. The goal of the Project is to conduct cooper- 

 ative research on the biology, ecology, and population dynamics 

 of marine mammal species of interest to both countries, with 

 the objective of developing methods for the management and 

 protection of these animals. Approximately once each year, 

 delegates from both countries exchange schedules of activities 

 to be conducted under the Marine Mammal Project and agree on 

 the number of participating scientists and the nature of each 

 project to be conducted during the following year. Publications 

 and statistical data on harvests, as appropriate, have been 

 exchanged, and studies have been conducted concerning the 

 walrus, ice seals, the northern sea lion, the sea otter, the 

 northern fur seal, and several cetacean species. Representatives 

 of the Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors on 

 Marine Mammals participate in these scientific meetings. 



The ninth meeting of the Marine Mammal Project was held 

 in Tallin, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, on 23-30 

 September 1988. The report of the meeting recommends that 

 the Joint Committee of the U.S./U.S.S.R. Environmental Agreement 

 consider the desirability of establishing an international 

 convention on conservation of marine mammals in the North 

 Pacific Ocean to increase the effectiveness of conservation 

 measures, including rational use of marine mammals. 



The Environmental Agreement also provides for cooperation 

 in legal and administrative structures for the management and 

 protection of living resources under Area XI, Leyal and Adminis- 

 trative Measures for Protection of the Environment. At the 

 tenth (1986) meeting of the U.S./U.S.S.R. Joint Committee, 

 participants agreed to initiate a study of Soviet and U.S. 

 laws relating to environmental protection and conservation of 

 living resources in the Bering Sea, a conference for which 

 the Marine Mammal Commission has provided partial support 

 (see Chapter XI) . In response to this agreement, the Council 

 on Environmental Quality, the U.S. adhering body for Area XI, 

 and the Center for Marine Conservation are co-sponsoring a 

 Conference on the Shared Living Resources of the Bering Sea. 



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