MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION — Annual Report for 1991 



reproductive capacity. Mature females typically bear 

 only a single calf every two to four years. 



Recovery of at least some stocks probably has been 

 retarded by human activities that have caused the 

 death and injury of individual animals and the degra- 

 dation of essential habitats. Because of the extremely 

 small population levels, the premature loss of even a 

 single animal can have a major effect on population 

 recovery. In this context, data from right whale 

 strandings along the northwest Atlantic indicate that at 

 least ten animals have been killed over the past 20 

 years by collisions with large vessels or by entangle- 

 ment in commercial fishing gear. Additional animals 

 killed by these causes may have gone unrecorded. 

 There also is evidence that many other right whales 

 have been injured. During 1991, an animal was killed 

 and washed ashore near the Florida-Georgia border. 

 Although the whale was apparently killed by a colli- 

 sion with a vessel, wrapped around its tail was a large 

 piece of gillnet that had been photographed on the 

 animal a year earlier. 



Right whales also may be affected by vessel traffic 

 (including whale-watching trips) in ways that may not 

 cause direct physical harm. That is, vessel-related 

 noise and disturbance could alter normal behavior, 

 cause stress, and perhaps cause abandonment of 

 preferred habitat. Right whales and dieir habitat also 

 may be affected adversely by dredging and dredge 

 spoil disposal, exploration and development of off- 

 shore petroleum and hard mineral resources, oil spills, 

 municipal outfalls, whale research, and perhaps other 

 human activities. 



The Commission has supported several studies to 

 improve understanding of the status of right whales 

 (see, for example. Appendix C, Winn 1984, Winn et 

 al. 1985, and Brownell et al. 1985) and to help 

 identify needed research and management activities 

 (see, for example. Appendix B, Kraus 1985 and the 

 Georgia Conservancy 1986). In 1991, the Commis- 

 sion continued its efforts in this regard. As noted in 

 Chapter IX, the Commission provided partial support 

 for a study of right whale behavior, including reaction 

 to vessel traffic, using airships as observation plat- 

 forms. Other recent activities are discussed below. 



Preparation of a Right Whale Recovery Plan 



Section 4 of the Endangered Species Act directs the 

 Secretaries of Commerce and the Interior to prepare 

 recovery plans identifying priority research and 

 management needs for listed endangered species that 

 would benefit from such planning. On several occa- 

 sions, the Commission has recommended that the 

 National Marme Fisheries Service prepare recovery 

 plans for endangered whales, including right whales, 

 that occur regularly in U.S. coastal waters. As a part 

 of a favorable response in 1987, the Service constitut- 

 ed a Northern Right Whale Recovery Team and began 

 work on drafting a recovery plan. 



Although funding was not available to convene the 

 team before December 1988, the Service prepared a 

 preliminary draft plan and provided it to team mem- 

 bers for review in advance of its first meeting. At its 

 initial meeting, the team concluded that the draft 

 should be substantially modified and offered to draft 

 a recommended plan for Service consideration. The 

 Service agreed. By early 1990, the team completed a 

 recommended draft plan, which it provided to the 

 Service. On 6 February 1990, the Service published 

 a Federal Register notice requesting public and agency 

 comments on the team's recommended draft plan. 



The Commission, in consultation with its Commit- 

 tee of Scientific Advisors, provided comments to the 

 Service by letter of 22 March 1990. The Commission 

 noted that a number of statements, conclusions, and 

 recommended actions in the draft plan appeared 

 inappropriate or unjustified. For example, the plan 

 concluded that the number of right whales had not 

 changed in the past 50 years even though a reliable 

 basis for estimating the size or trends of the popula- 

 tion prior to 1970 did not exist. 



In addition, the goals and task statements in the 

 recommended draft plan were not developed in a way 

 that offered clear guidance concerning needed actions. 

 For example, the plan suggested that $5,000 per year 

 could usefully be spent to ensure that the ban on 

 commercial taking of right whales is maintained 

 despite the fact that the ban has been universally 

 accepted by all whaling nations for several decades. 

 No explanation was provided regarding work that the 

 team thought needed to be done. The Commission 



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