MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION — Annual Report for 1991 



22 April Commerce; scientific research permit, National Marine Mammal Laboratory. 



23 April Commerce; commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on an emergency closure of waters 



within 50 nautical miles of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to pelagic longline fishing; and 

 recommending that the Service takes steps to make the emergency closure permanent. 



29 April Commerce; public display permit, Mount Desert Oceanarium. 



29 April Commerce; scientific research permit, Frank T. Awbrey. 



29 April Commerce; scientific research permit, Southeast Fisheries Science Center. 



7 May Interior; modification of scientific research permit, Alaska Regional Office, Fish and Wildlife Service. 



7 May Commerce; modification of scientific research permit. Southwest Fisheries Science Center. 



8 May Interior; commenting to the Fish and Wildlife Service on a proposed list of species protected imder the 



Cartagena Convention Protocol on Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife; and recommending that 

 marine mammal species be listed individually and that the Service take steps to encourage development 

 of a manatee recovery plan for the Wider Caribbean region under the Protocol. 



9 May Interior; commenting to the Fish and Wildlife Service on use of Sea Lion Rock for practice bombing by 



the Navy; and recommending that the Service no longer allow such uses. 



10 May Commerce, scientific research permit, California Marine Mammal Center. 



10 May Commerce; commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on a request by Shell Western E&P 



Inc. for a letter of authorization to allow non-lethal takes of bowhead, gray, and beluga whales and 

 bearded, ringed, and spotted seals incidental to exploratory offshore oil and gas drilling operations in 

 the Chukchi Sea; and recommending, among other things, that the applicant be asked to convene an 

 independent group of experts to review and provide advice on design and proposed methods for 

 collecting and analyzing data from aerial surveys and other studies being planned as part of the 

 program to monitor marine mammals and possible interactions between them and oil and gas explorato- 

 ry activities. 



13 May Commerce; commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on the die-off of several species of 



seals along Long Island, New York; and recommending, among other things, that a medical director be 

 appointed to oversee investigation of the die-off and that a team of experts be convened to meet with 

 the medical director and the Stranding Coordinator to review and evaluate circumstances surrounding 

 the seal deaths. 



13 May Commerce; commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on the Technical Draft Recovery 



Plan for the Steller Sea Lion; and recommending, among other things, that the Service (1) complete, 

 adopt, and implement the plan as soon as possible and (2) take steps to (a) appoint or hire a full-time 

 coordinator for Steller sea lion activities; (b) reconvene the Recovery Team; and (c) develop an 

 implementation plan and strategy for assigning priorities and defining involvement of other agencies in 

 the implementation process. 



14 May Interior; modification of scientific research permit. Fish and Wildlife Enhancement Division, Fish and 



Wildlife Service. 



20 May Interior; Request for renewal of scientific research permit, EBASCO Environmental. 



23 May Interior; scientific research permit, Alaska Fish and Wildlife Research Center. 



24 May Commerce; commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on a request by ARCO Alaska, Inc. 



for a letter of authorization to take bowhead, gray, and beluga whales and bearded, ringed, and spotted 

 seals incidental to oil and gas exploration activities during 1991-1992; and recommending, among other 



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