7 July Commerce, commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on Sea Land of 



Cape Cod and recommending that the Service reinspect the facility before 

 considering further requests for marine mammal permits. 



8 July Commerce, modification of scientific research permit, Jay Sweeney. 



13 July Commerce, commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on a request by six 



oil and gas exploration companies to take small numbers of bowhead and gray 

 whales incidental to activities off the coast of Alaska; concurring that some of the 

 assumptions put forth in the petition were reasonable; noting that some of the 

 assumptions concerning possible effects on endangered whales were questionable; 

 and recommending, among other things, that the Service: (1) clearly indicate 

 assumptions and uncertainties concerning possible direct, indirect, and cumulative 

 effects of offshore oil and gas exploration activities on the survival and productivity 

 of gray and bowhead whales; (2) specify the additional baseline research and 

 monitoring programs that would be required to verify predicted effects and detect 

 unforeseen effects; and (3) provide a system for issuing letters of authorization to 

 each oil company and making continued authorization after the first year contingent 

 on submission of a report on possible effects of activities during the first year. 



20 July Commerce, scientific research permit application, Northwest and Alaska Fisheries 



Center. 



21 July Commerce, modification of scientific research permit, Steven L. Swartz and Randall 



S. Wells. 



21 July Commerce, commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on the "Draft Sup- 



plemental Environmental Impact Statement and Regulatory Impact Review/Initial 

 Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for a Proposal to Increase the Optimum Yield Range 

 in the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and 

 Aleutian Islands"; noting that the Statement appear to have numerous shortcomings, 

 particularly regarding calculations of allowable catch levels; recommending that the 

 Final Statement be expanded to: (1) clarify uncertainties concerning the effects of 

 past and proposed catches on the affected fish stocks, marine mammal populations, 

 and their ecosystems; (2) describe and assess the adequacy of ongoing and planned 

 research and monitoring programs to verify predicted effects and detect unforeseen 

 effects of plan provisions; and (3) limit the optimum yield level to current levels 

 unless information becomes available to clearly indicate that the groundfish fishery 

 is not a cause of the decline of marine mammals species in the Bering Sea and 

 Aleutian Islands area or, alternatively, an effective system is in place to: (a) verify 

 assumptions concerning impacts of the fishery on marine mammal food supplies; 

 and (b) ensure that all direct and indirect effects of groundfish fishing on marine 

 mammals will be detected in time for corrective action to be taken. 



22 July Commerce, suggesting to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that 



steps be taken to indicate the presence of boat speed regulatory zones and 

 sanctuaries designated to protect West Indian manatees in Florida on nautical 

 charts covering that State's coastal waters. 



25 July Transportation, commenting to the U.S. Coast Guard on plans to develop proposed 



rules to implement the pollution prevention provisions of Annex V of the Inter- 

 national Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships; noting that 

 implementation of those rules is important for reducing death and injury of marine 

 mammals due to entanglement in marine debris; and recommending that the Coast 

 Guard: (a) define the term "disposal" to include the loss of garbage into the sea 

 due to improper handling and storage aboard ship; (b) cite examples of plastic 

 wastes that are particularly hazardous to marine life; (c) consider measures taken or 

 planned by ports to inform ship operators of the availability, location, and proper 

 use of port reception facilities for ship-generated garbage when considering the 

 adequacy of such facilities; (d) require large ports and marinas that service 

 commercial vessels and recreational craft using internal waters only to obtain 

 Certificates of Adequacy; and (e) consider developing optional guidelines for 

 handling, processing, and storing garbage aboard ship. 



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