MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION — Annual Report for 1991 



20 September Commerce; commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on Amendment 4 to the Fisheries 

 Management Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region; and recommending that a 

 proposed rule to limit entries into the Hawaii-based longline fishery for pelagic fish species be adopted. 



23 September Commerce; commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on the draft proposed regime to 



govern interactions between marine mammal s and commercial fishing operations after October 1993; 

 noting that, in some cases, the draft proposal does not adequately explain criteria for determining the 

 allowable biological removal level or what would be done to address the take of marine mammals 

 whose carrying capacity has been reduced by overharvesting of prey species or other types of habitat 

 degradation; and recommending, among other things, that the proposal be expanded to (1) specify the 

 criteria, minimum data requirements, and procedures to be used to make qualitative judgments on 

 current population status relative to carrying capacity level; (2) indicate how human-caused changes in 

 marine mammal carrying capacity and take by harassment would be taken into account when determin- 

 ing allowable removal levels; and (3) describe the program that would be undertaken to reduce marine 

 mammal mortalities and injuries incidental to commercial fishing operations to as near zero as 

 practicable. 



23 September Interior; commenting to the Minerals Management Service on the Alaska Regional Studies Plan for 

 Fiscal Years 1993-1994; and recommending certain additions and revisions with regard to Steller sea 

 lions, bowhead whales, and other endangered and threatened species. 



27 September State of Florida; commenting to the Department of Natural Resources on proposed rules to protect 

 manatees by regulating vessel speed and access in Dade County; expressing concurrence with the 

 Department that vessel speed and access restrictions are the only way to effectively accommodate the 

 increasing number of power boats and manatees in State waterways; and recommending that the 

 Department forward its proposal to the Governor and Cabinet with a request that it be adopted as soon 

 as possible. 



9 October Commerce; modification of scientific research permit, Audrey Diane Kopec and James T. Harvey. 



10 October Commerce; modification of scientific research permit, Salvatore Cercio. 

 16 October Interior; scientific research permit. Mote Marine Laboratory. 



22 October Commerce; scientific research permit. National Marine Mammal Laboratory. 



25 October Commerce; scientific research permit, Marsha L. Green. 



25 October Commerce; public display permit, Oregon Coast Aquarium. 



25 October Commerce; commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on the export of dolphins caught in 



U.S. waters; noting that (1) care and maintenance standards are made applicable to foreign facilities 

 only as a special condition of permits issued under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and (2) foreign 

 facilities are not subject to Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service inspections; recommending that 

 the Service review, among other things, (a) foreign facilities holding marine mammals obtained from 

 U.S. waters since the Marine Mammal Protection Act was enacted and (b) foreign government's 

 standards for inspecting public display facilities; and further recommending that no further permits be 

 issued to agents of facilities outside the United States until the reviews have been completed. 



1 November Commerce; commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on the status of the vaquita; noting, 

 among other things, that it is one of the rarest and most endangered of all cetaceans, and the primary 

 threat to its survival is entanglement in fishing gear, particularly gillnets used to catch totoaba, an 

 endangered species of fish found in the Gulf of California; and recommending that the Service, in 

 cooperation with the Fish and Wildlife Service, (1) coordinate efforts to develop a test to identify 

 imported processed totoaba and (2) establish a cooperative program with Mexico to enforce the 

 Mexican prohibition on totoaba fishing and the entry of totoaba into the United States. 



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