MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION — Annual Report for 1991 



however, indicate that it was cooperating with the 

 Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the North 

 Pacific Fishery Management Council on an amend- 

 ment to extend the closure in Federal waters for an 

 additional five years. 



When the North Pacific Council recommended a 

 two-year closure around walrus haulouts in 1989, it 

 planned to reexamine the measure at the end of the 

 period to determine if it should be modified, extend- 

 ed, or terminated. Because the Service's research on 

 noise characteristics near Round Island was suspended 

 in 1989 without obtaining useful results, the only way 

 to assess the effectiveness of the measure is by exam- 

 ining counts at walrus haulouts. 



In 1990, the peak count at Round Island (6,891 

 animals) was substantially higher than in 1988 (4,424 

 animals), but at Cape Peirce it was substantially lower 

 (1,474, as compared to 6,938 animals in 1988). The 

 counts suggest the measures may have had a modest 

 positive effect at Round Island. However, on several 

 occasions, vessels fished illegally within the closed 

 areas. It is not clear whether concentrations of fishing 

 vessels occurred along the perimeter of the closure. 



As a result of its assessment of the situation late in 

 1990, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council 

 agreed to consider alternative actions either to extend 

 the 3 to 12-mile closures permanently, or for five 

 years, or to establish a larger closure as had been 

 considered in 1989. The closure alternatives would 

 require amending the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

 groundfish fishery management plan and preparing a 

 supporting background document for public review 

 {i.e., an "environmental assessment/regulatory impact 

 review/initial regulatory flexibility analysis"). Due to 

 other demands, the Council's staff was unable to 

 prepare the necessary background document. The 

 Fish and Wildlife Service also was unable to provide 

 staff or funds to contract for the required assessment. 

 Therefore, the Commission contracted for the needed 

 draft document early in 1991 (see Chapter IX). 



The draft document was completed in time for 

 review by the Council at its 23-26 April 1991 meet- 

 ing. At that time, the document was approved for 

 public review. The Council did not, however, indi- 

 cate a preferred alternative. On 14 June 1991, the 



Commission provided comments to the Council. 

 Because of the still unresolved relationship between 

 walrus haulout patterns and yellowfin sole fishing, the 

 Commission recommended that, regardless of the 

 alternative selected, the document should be expanded 

 to identify the need for studies to (1) continue moni- 

 toring walrus haulout patterns; (2) determine at-sea 

 movement and habitat use patterns by tagging and 

 tracking walruses in Bristol Bay; (3) characterize and 

 monitor acoustics and the effects of sound near walrus 

 haulouts; and (4) correlate data from the above studies 

 with the distribution of fishing effort. 



As a preferred alternative, the Commission again 

 supported the expanded closure, including waters 

 north of a line between Capes Constantine and Peirce. 

 Also, because of uncertainty as to when information 

 would be adequate to assess the effectiveness of the 

 measure and because of the costs associated with 

 extending the measure, the Commission recommended 

 that any closure be made permanent, pending avail- 

 ability of data indicating that a change was justified. 

 Finally, the Commission noted the need for steps to 

 ensure that provisions in State waters shoreward of 

 three miles are consistent with any closures outside 

 three miles. 



At its 24-29 June and 13-16 August 1991 meet- 

 ings, the Council considered comments and recom- 

 mendations on the matter and approved a recommen- 

 dation that the National Marine Fisheries Service close 

 waters between 3 to 12 miles of haulouts on Round 

 Island, the Twins Islands, and Cape Peirce on a 

 permanent basis. The National Marine Fisheries 

 Service agreed with the Council's recommendation 

 and, on 4 December 1991, published a notice of 

 proposed rules to amend the Bering Sea and Aleutian 

 Islands groundfish fishery management plan to pro- 

 vide for permanent fishing closures between 3 to 12 

 miles around the three walrus haulouts. 



Effects of Offshore OU and Gas Exploration 



Noise and disturbance due to seismic profiling, 

 drilling, and ice management associated with offshore 

 oil and gas exploration may affect walrus and other 

 marine mammals. Among other effects, it may alter 

 the normal distribution and haulout patterns of walrus- 

 es near exploration sites. Noise and disturbance also 



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