Appendix A — Commission Recommendations 



20 December Commerce; scientific research permit, Deborah Glockner-Ferrari and Mark J. Ferrari. 



20 December Commerce; conmienting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on Hawaiian monk seal research and 

 management needs; noting a need to shift program emphasis fi'om population monitoring to restoration; 

 and recommending, among other things, that the Service (1) continue population monitoring studies this 

 coming field season subject to such modifications as may be possible to reduce costs and personnel 

 commitments; (2) implement a satellite-linked radio tagging program to gather data on monk seal 

 foraging and distribution; (3) re-examine observer programs for commercial fishing vessels operating in 

 monk seal habitat; (4) evaluate whether declines in monk seal and lobster populations are related and if 

 optimum yield levels for the lobster fishery should be reduced to promote monk seal recovery; (5) 

 expand the Monk Seal Recovery Team to include additional behavioral scientists, a physical oceanogra- 

 pher, and a representative of the Fish and Wildlife Service; (6) assemble background information and a 

 recommended approach to address the male mobbing problem for review by the Recovery Team; and 

 (7) coordinate interagency work to speed the repair and stabilization of Tern Island and other areas of 

 important monk seal habitat. 



20 December Commerce; commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on its Revised Draft Proposed 

 Regime to Govern Incidental Taking of Marine Mammals in Commercial Fishing Operations after 

 October 1993; noting that the revised draft is less adequate than the previous draft; and recommending, 

 among other things, that the Service (1) revise the proposal to include the legislative language that it 

 will propose to establish the regime; (2) specify what is meant by the term "soimd principles of wildlife 

 management"; (3) redefine appropriate levels of allowable take; (4) consider the effect of habitat 

 degradation on marine mamma l survival and productivity; (5) describe how it proposes to move toward 

 its goal of zero mortality; and (6) provide an estimate of funding required to implement proposed 

 programs. 



23 December Interior; commenting to the Fish and Wildlife Service on research and management needs for walruses 

 in Alaska; forwarding a preliminary draft conservation plan for Pacific walrus; and recommending that 

 the Service circulate the preliminary draft plan to its walrus advisory team, use the plan and the team's 

 comments as a basis for preparing a final draft plan; and circulate the final draft plan to the Commis- 

 sion and other agencies for review as soon as possible; and ftirther recommending, among other things, 

 that the Service (1) immediately begin planning for another walrus census to be conducted as soon as 

 possible; (2) re-instate the Native harvest monitoring program suspended in 1990; (3) ensure to the 

 extent possible that Federal and State regulations to protect walrus haulouts in Bristol Bay are 

 comparable and effectively prevent disturbance by commercial fishermen; and (4) evaluate whether 

 bilateral agreements with the former Soviet Union might further the objectives of the walrus conserva- 

 tion plan. 



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