MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION — Annual Report for 1991 



2 July Intenor; public display permit, Homer Society of Natural History. 



2 July Commerce; modification of scientific research permit, Steven K. Katona. 



2 July Commerce; modification of scientific research permit, C. Scott Baker. 



3 July Interior; commenting to the Minerals Management Service on possible effects of an offshore oil and gas 



lease sale in the Cook Inlet area on marine mammals; and recommending, among other things, that the 

 Service consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service, pursuant to section 7 of the Endangered 

 Species Act, to determine whether the proposed sale could negatively affect endangered or threatened 

 marine mammals. 



3 July Commerce; modification of scientific research permit. Southeast Fisheries Science Center. 



3 July Commerce; scientific research permit, James D. Gilardi. 



1 1 July Commerce; commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on a request by BP Exploration 



(Alaska) Inc. for a Letter of Authorization to take bowhead, gray, and beluga whales and ringed, 

 bearded, and spotted seals incidental to surveys for geohazards in the Beaufort Sea; and recommending 

 that the request be approved, provided that a marine mammal monitoring program is undertaken to 

 document any interactions between bowhead whales or other marine mammals and the survey 

 operations. 



1 1 July Commerce; commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on a request by the Amerada Hess 



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

 and spotted seals incidental to seismic exploration operations in the Beaufort Sea; and recommending 

 that the request be approved, provided that the Service is satisfied that a marine ma mmal monitoring 

 program will be undertaken to accurately document any interactions with marine mammals. 



17 July Commerce; modification of scientific research permit, R.H. Deftan. 



17 July Conmierce; modification of scientific research permit. National Marine Mammal Laboratory. 



17 July Interior; modification of scientific research permit, Alaska Fish and Wildlife Research Center. 



18 July Interior; commenting to the National Park Service on vessel entry levels and related restrictions to 



protect humpback whales in Glacier Bay; and recommending that the Service (1) re-initiate consulta- 

 tions with the National Marine Fisheries Service pursuant to section 7 of the Endangered Species Act 

 before circulating for review a proposal to change the existing regulations and (2) append the results of 

 that consultation to any proposed changes circulated for public review. 



18 July Commerce; public display permit, Jenkinson Seaquarium Corporation. 



24 July State; commenting to the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs on a 



draft U.S. policy statement on large-scale high seas driftnets to be submitted to the United Nations 

 Office of Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea; expressing concern about the adequacy of: (1) the 

 discussion of uncertainties regarding the effects of large scale driftnet fisheries on marine food chains 

 and the stability of marine ecosystems; (2) the failure to define "sound principles of resource manage- 

 ment"; (3) the failure to take cognizance of assessments done and knowledge gained at a recent 

 international meeting of researchers in Sidney, British Columbia; and recommending changes to better 

 reflect those issues before the statement is submitted to the United Nations. 



25 July Interior; commenting to the Fish and Wildlife Service on the results of a Commission-sponsored 



December 1990 workshop on the Bering Sea/Gulf of Alaska and Antarctic marine ecosystems; 

 forwarding to the Service copies of the final workshop report; and recommending that the Service (1) 

 continue and expand its seabird assessment and monitoring programs in the Bering Sea and Gulf of 

 Alaska and (2) work with the National Marine Fisheries Service, the National Science Foundation, and 



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