States, and recommending that the requirement for ships to maintain records of all 

 discharges specify the kinds of information to be recorded. 



20 November Commerce, public display permit application, Moscow Zoo. 



20 November Interior, modification of scientific research permit, Natural History Museum of Los 

 Angeles County. 



20 November Interior, renewal of scientific research permit, Fish and Wildlife Service. 



20 November Commerce, modification of scientific research permit, Center for Coastal Marine 

 Studies. 



30 November Commerce, commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on the draft 

 Humpback Whale National Recovery Plan; noting that the Plan did not identify 

 recommended research and management actions in sufficient detail to effectively 

 guide development of actual recovery activities; recommending that the Service: 

 revise the Plan's statement of goals to indicate immediate, intermediate, and 

 ultimate goals; revise and expand the Plan outline and narrative to provide a clearer 

 indication of specific research and management actions necessary to rebuild each of 

 the three separate populations in U.S. waters; and develop an implementation 

 schedule setting forth target initiation and completion dates, estimated costs, 

 relative priorities, and responsible agencies for research and management. 



I December Commerce, modification of scientific research permit, Northwest and Alaska Fisheries 



Center. 



5 December State, commenting to the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and 



Scientific Affairs on the Protocol concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife 

 to the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment 

 of the Wider Caribbean Region; noting, among other things, that the Protocol as 

 currently drafted raised questions as to what, if anything, it would obligate parties to 

 do and that certain provisions could be interpreted to impose prohibitions that 

 would be more restrictive than those under the Endangered Species Act, Marine 

 Mammal Protection Act, and other relevant U.S. legislation; and recommending 

 that the United States seek the agreement of other parties on convening a meeting 

 of experts within a year of concluding the Protocol to identify and begin background 

 work on priority issues that will have to be considered by the scientific and technical 

 advisory committee to be established when the Protocol enters into force. 



II December Commerce, commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on the Service's 



Hawaiian monk seal program; commending the program staff and others for 

 accomplishments in protecting the Hawaiian monk seal; and recommending, among 

 other things, that: the Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Team update the Recovery 

 Plan by 1 March 1990; the Service add a marine mammal veterinarian and a marine 

 mammal physiologist to the Recovery Team and publish a schedule of annual 

 Recovery Team meetings; the Service focus mobbing behavior research on 

 identifying the age classes of seals and the individual animals involved before 

 implementing responsive management objectives; consideration be given to 

 expanding the Head Start Project to Midway Island; the Service consult with other 

 agencies on actions to rebuild the Tern Island seawall and to remove abandoned 

 fuel from the island; a population model be developed to produce population 

 projections, evaluate management strategies, and identify critical data gaps; all field 

 personnel carry copies of issued permits into the field and that they be given clear 

 written and verbal guidance as to precisely what steps should be taken to minimize 

 any disturbance to the seals; the Service seek help in developing a training program 

 for individuals involved in caring for captive Hawaiian monk seals; protocols on 

 animal care and reintroducing seals back into the wild be developed; necropsies be 

 performed by a veterinarian with marine mammal experience; arrangements be 

 made with a reputable laboratory to promptly work up, on a routine basis, specimen 

 material taken from captive or wild monk seals; holding facilities for seals at the 

 Kewalo Basin not be used unless rebuilt; the Service promptly hire a biometrician to 

 work on monk seal data, a full-time data manager, and an administrative assistant 

 for the monk seal recovery program; the Service promptly develop a three-year 



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