Chapter HI — Marine Mammal-Fisheries Interactions 



Data provided by the National Marine Fisheries Service. 



Figures for 1991 for other than the U.S. fleet are preliminary estimates provided by the Inter- 

 American Tropical Tuna Commission. 



On 8 October 1991, the National Marine Fisheries Service issued a final rule changing the 

 period on which foreign comparability findings are based. Data for revised year 1991 cover 

 the period from 1 October 1990 through 30 September 1991. 

 Observer coverages are given for the percentage of trips observed. 



Final incidental take data for 1991 for the foreign 

 fleets are not yet available. Preliminary data suggest 

 that the total dolphin mortality for the foreign fleets 

 during 1991 will be about 25,000. This would 

 constitute a reduction of nearly 50 percent in foreign 

 fleet dolphin mortality since 1990 and a reduction of 

 about 70 percent since 1989. These reductions have 

 occurred without any appreciable reduction in the 

 number of dolphin sets engaged in by foreign purse 

 seiners and are primarily the result of improved 

 performance rather than decreased fishing effort. 

 Since 1988 and 1989, the mortality rate for the 

 foreign fleet has been reduced by more than two- 

 thirds, from more than ten dolphins killed per set to 

 about three. The Vanuatu tuna fleet has improved its 



performance even more dramatically. For the first 10 

 months of 1991, it achieved a mortality rate (1.75 

 dolphins per set) well below that of the U.S. fleet. 

 Also, observer coverage of foreign tuna fishing in the 

 eastern tropical Pacific increased in 1991. 



Implementation of the 1988 Amendments 



In 1988, changes were enacted in the legislative 

 program governing the take of marine mammals by 

 the U.S. tuna fishery and the importation of yellowfin 

 tuna taken by foreign fleets. These amendments and 

 steps taken to implement them during 1991 are 

 summarized below. 



95 



