MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION - Annual Report for 1995 



were established to protect humpback whales and 

 other resources in the bay. The notice also announced 

 the availability of, and requested comments on, the 

 Service's Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve 

 Management Plan and Environmental Assessment. 



In the Service's plan, the preferred alternative 

 proposes a 72 percent increase in the number of cruise 

 ships entering the bay in June, July, and August. The 

 proposed action would not authorize an increase in the 

 number of smaller vessels allowed to enter the bay but 

 would authorize tour boat companies to offer passen- 

 gers kayaking and hiking excursions from the boats. 



By letter of 24 August 1995 the Commission 

 commented to the Park Service on the plan and 

 environmental assessment. In its letter, the Commis- 

 sion made reference to the National Marine Fisheries 

 Service's February 1993 biological opinion on the 

 proposed rule. The Commission indicated that it 

 concurred with the Service's conclusion that the 

 proposed increase in vessel entries is not likely to 

 jeopardize the continued existence of either humpback 

 whales or other endangered species such as Steller sea 

 lions. It also concurred with the Service's recommen- 

 dation that monitoring be continued to document the 

 number and length of residence of humpback whales 

 in the bay, and that studies be done to document the 

 distribution, abundance, and movement patterns of 

 humpback whales in adjacent areas. 



Also, the Commission pointed out that it is not 

 clear that an increase in cruise ships would not cause 

 humpback whales or other species to abandon or 

 avoid the bay. Therefore, the Commission suggested 

 that an adequate, fully funded monitoring program, 

 necessary to detect and determine the cause of signifi- 

 cant declines in humpback whale use of the bay, 

 should be an integral part of the vessel management 

 plan. In this regard, the Commission recommended 

 that the Park Service consult with the National Marine 

 Fisheries Service and the cruise ship industry to 

 determine (a) the monitoring program required to 

 detect and determine the cause of any significant 

 declines in the use of Park waters by humpback 

 whales, (b) the funding, personnel, special equipment, 

 and logistical support required to carry out the pro- 

 gram, and (c) possible alternative means for funding 

 the required program. 



As of the end of 1995 the Park Service was re- 

 viewing comments on the draft plan and expected to 

 issue a final rule and a decision on the revised regula- 

 tions early in 1996. 



Humpback Whales in Hawaii 



A number of researchers and research groups study 

 humpback whales wintering in Hawaii, and there is 

 concern that duplicative work could result in unneces- 

 sary disturbance of the whales. In 1992 and 1993 the 

 Commission provided funds to help support meetings 

 of the Hawaiian humpback whale researchers to 

 coordinate research and identify and avoid studies that 

 are unnecessarily duplicative. 



At the meetings, the researchers presented recent 

 research findings and discussed ways to improve 

 cooperation and data-sharing. Participants at the 1993 

 meeting recommended that the workshops be held 

 annually and that they include time on the water to 

 help standardize data collection procedures. Work- 

 shops have been held annually since then. As de- 

 scribed in Chapter X, the Commission provided 

 partial support for the meetings held prior to the 1995 

 and 1996 seasons. As before, the 1996 meeting is 

 expected to include time in the field and will be open 

 to all humpback whale research groups. 



The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale 

 National Marine Sanctuary - National marine 

 sanctuaries are administered by the Sanctuaries and 

 Reserves Division of the National Oceanic and Atmo- 

 spheric Administration's National Ocean Service 

 under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuar- 

 ies Act. The goal of the sanctuaries is to protect and 

 manage areas of special importance for their ecologi- 

 cal, historical, recreational, and aesthetic marine 

 resources. On 4 November 1992 the President signed 

 into law legislation designating the Hawaiian Islands 

 Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. 



The Hawaiian Islands sanctuary, as originally 

 designated, consists of approximately 1,300 nmi 2 of 

 Federal and state waters and includes the area within 

 the 100-fathom isobath adjoining Lanai, Maui, and 

 Molokai, including the Penguin Bank, the deep-water 

 area of the Pailolo Channel, and the waters adjacent 

 to the Kilauea National Wildlife Refuge on Kauai. 



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