Appendix A — Commission Recommendations 



Marine Mammal Protection Act; and recommending, among other things, that the statement address 

 possible environmental impacts and describe procedures to assess and minimize possible adverse effects 

 of research activities. 



21 March Commerce; scientific permit application. Northeast Fisheries Center. 



22 March State of Florida; commenting to the Marine Fisheries Commission on manatee deaths incidental to 



commercial shrimp fishing operations in inland waters of Florida and Georgia; and recommending that 

 the Commission consider (1) closing certain manatee habitat areas to inland shrimp fisheries; (2) 

 improving monitoring programs to identify locations, times, and frequency of lethal and non-lethal 

 interactions between manatees and shrimpers and steps that might be taken to avoid them; and (3) the 

 use of area, gear, season, and/or operating restrictions to help avoid the potential for manatee deaths 

 due to shrimping. 



25 March Commerce; scientific research permit. Center for Coastal Studies. 



26 March Commerce; public display permit, Brookfield Zoo. 



28 March Commerce; scientific research permit. Department of Veterinary Pathology, Department of Defense. 



28 March Commerce; scientific research permit, James T. Harvey. 



1 April Commerce; commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on Amendment 4 to the Bottomfish 



Fishery Management Plan for the Western Pacific Region; and recommending, among other things, 

 revising the proposed amendment to require observer coverage of at least 30 percent of the fishing trips 

 to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands until such time that it is clear that lethal taking of monk seals is 

 avoided. 



9 April Commerce; commenting to the National Ocean Service on the Draft Environmental Impact State- 



ment/Management Plan on the Proposed Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary; and recommend- 

 ing, among other things that (1) the Service proceed with efforts to implement the sanctuary manage- 

 ment program, (2) the statement be expanded to provide a more thorough description of the possible 

 effects of commercial and recreational fishing on marine mamma ls and other species, and (3) the 

 sanctuary designation document be expanded to identify commercial and recreational fishing as 

 activities that could be subject to regulation. 



15 April Interior; modification of scientific research permit. Southwest Fisheries Science Center. 



18 April Interior; commenting to the Fish and Wildlife Service on a proposed rule authorizing for five years the 



non-lethal take of walruses and polar bears incidental to oil and gas exploration activities in the 

 Chukchi Sea; and recommending, among other things, that (1) the Service estimate the numbers of 

 walruses and polar bears that may be taken and explain its rationale for determining that they constitute 

 "small numbers," as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and (2) the proposed rule be 

 amended to provide the Commission and the public an opportunity to review and comment on sjjecific 

 proposed exploratory activities and monitoring programs before letters of authorization are issued. 



19 April Commerce; scientific research permit, Southwest Fisheries Science Center. 



19 April Conmierce; public display permit. Sea World, Inc. 



19 April Commerce; commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on the proposed Amendment 2 to the 



Fishery Management Plan for the Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region; and recommending, 

 among other things, that (1) the proposed Amendment be changed to incorporate an emergency measure 

 proposed by the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council to ban longline fishing within 50 nautical 

 miles of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands; (2) the proposed Amendment's protected species study 

 area be expanded; (3) fishing permit renewals be contingent in part upon compliance with provisions 

 for the area closure; and (4) consideration be given to a new provision requiring that all fishing vessels 

 carry satellite-linked radio transmitters for real-time vessel tracking. 



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