Island colonies. Therefore, future recovery objectives and activities were re-examined 

 in 1991. 



The northern right whale, the most endangered marine mammal in U.S. waters, is 

 also the world's most endangered species of large whale. The largest known population, 

 perhaps 350 animals, occurs seasonally in coastal waters off the east coasts of Canada 

 and the United States. Entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with ships are the 

 principal human causes of mortality and injury for this population. The Marine Mammal 

 Commission has urged development of a recovery plan and the Right Whale Recovery 

 Team has recommended designating critical habitat pursuant to the Endangered Species 

 Act. Although the Commission has provided extensive advice on both matters over the 

 past two years, it is not clear what the National Marine Fisheries Service intends to do. 



Activities relative to harbor seals. North Pacific fur seals. Pacific walruses, sea 

 otters in Alaska, polar bears, humpback whales, bowhead whales, gray whales, killer 

 whales. Gulf of California harbor porpoises, bottlenose dolphins, and harbor porpoises 

 also are discussed in Chapter n. 



Marine mammals affect and are affected by certain commercial and recreational 

 fisheries. Currently, the taking of marine mammals incidental to most commercial 

 fisheries is authorized under a five-year exemption, enacted in 1988, from the 

 moratorium on taking marine mammals. Before the interim exemption expires. Congress 

 will re-examine the issue in light of information gathered under the exemption program, 

 and enact a more permanent system for regulating the take of marine mammals by 

 fishermen. Efforts to implement the interim exemption and to develop a new regime to 

 govern the take of marine mammals incidental to commercial fishing operations after 1 

 October 1993 are discussed in Chapter HI. One fishery not included under the interim 

 exemption is the eastern tropical Pacific purse seine fishery for yellowfin tuna. Actions 

 taken to reduce the mortality of dolphins incidental to that fishery also are discussed in 

 Chapter m. 



The Marine Mammal Protection Act directs the Commission to review and provide 

 advice to the Secretary of State and other Federal officials on international arrangements 

 affecting marine mammals and their habitat. As discussed in Chapter IV, the 

 Commission devoted particular attention in 1991 to issues regarding the International 

 Whaling Commission, high seas driftnet fisheries, conservation of marine mammals and 

 their habitat in the seas surrounding Antarctica, and formation of the North Pacific 

 Marine Science Organization (PICES). 



Ineffective regulation of commercial whaling by the International Whaling 

 Commission has allowed most exploited whale stocks to be reduced to dangerously low 



vu 



