MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION - Annual Report for 1995 



removal level of 766 animals per year for this stock. 

 Using observer data for the groundfish trawl, long- 

 line, and pot fisheries in both the Bering Sea/ Aleutian 

 Islands area and the Gulf of Alaska, and salmon 

 gillnet fisheries in various parts of Alaska, the Service 

 estimated that the annual incidental-take level in 

 Alaska fisheries for the western U.S. sea lion stock is 

 33.4 sea lions per year. It also estimated that about 

 8 more animals per year are killed by gear-related 

 injuries and illegal shooting. 



The final stock assessment for the eastern U.S. 

 Steller sea lion stock estimated its size at 23,900 

 animals, including 5,300 pups. As it did for the 

 western stock, the Service assumed a maximum 

 productivity rate of 12 percent for the eastern stock. 

 The calculated potential biological removal level for 

 the stock was determined to be 1,056 animals. The 

 assessment considered certain coastal gillnet fisheries 

 to be the only commercial fisheries posing an inciden- 

 tal-take threat to Steller sea lions. Based on observer 

 reports and other data for those fisheries, the assess- 

 ment concluded that the annual incidental take of 

 Steller sea lions from the eastern U.S. stock was no 

 more than five animals per year. 



Because the species, including both stocks, is listed 

 as threatened, both stocks were automatically consid- 

 ered strategic stocks under the Marine Mammal 

 Protection Act. At the end of 1995 no action had 

 been taken to establish an incidental-take reduction 

 team for either stock. Given the low incidental-take 

 levels, it was the Commission's understanding that the 

 Service considered the need for sea lion take reduction 

 teams to be low priority. 



Steller Sea Lion Subsistence Harvests 



Although Steller sea lions have been a traditional 

 component of the subsistence harvests of Alaska 

 Natives in some coastal communities, little informa- 

 tion is available regarding harvest levels prior to 

 1992. That year, however, the National Marine 

 Fisheries Service contracted with the Alaska Depart- 

 ment of Fish and Game to assess subsistence use of 

 Steller sea lions, as well as harbor seals, by surveying 

 Native hunters and households in 65 coastal villages. 



Table 4. Estimated take of Steller sea lions, 

 1992-1994 



Source: Wolfe, R.J. and C. Mischler. 1995. The subsistence 

 harvest of harbor seal and sea lion by Alaska Natives in 

 1994. Technical Paper 236. Alaska Department of Fish 

 and Game. Juneau, Alaska. 70p. + Appendices. 



The surveys have been continued since then with 

 support from the Service, but results from work in 

 1995 was not yet available as of the end 1995. The 

 estimated take levels for 1992 through 1994 from 

 these surveys are shown in Table 4. 



Almost the entire subsistence take of Steller sea 

 lions has been in the range of the western U.S. stock, 

 and more than three-fourths of that take occurred on 

 the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands. The highest annual 

 take from the eastern U.S. stock between 1992 and 

 1994 was estimate at six animals in 1992. 



In light of concern about the decline of Steller sea 

 lions and their importance as a subsistence resource, 

 Native residents in the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands 

 are considering steps to establish a Steller Sea Lion 

 Commission to develop a system of self-regulation 

 and to explore co-management arrangements with 

 Federal and State resource managers. As of the end 

 of 1995, it was the Marine Mammal Commission's 

 understanding that the Sea Lion Commission had not 

 yet met or scheduled a time to meet, but that member- 

 ship and organizational matters had been discussed 

 among Native village representatives, and that the 

 National Marine Fisheries Service had offered to pro- 

 vide funding for the Sea Lion Commission to meet. 



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