Joseph R. Geraci, V.M.D., Ph.D., at that time a member of its 

 Committee of Scientific Advisors on Marine Mammals and an expert 

 in marine mammal husbandry and disease, to organize and lead an 

 investigation to try to determine the cause or causes of the 

 die-off. 



Preliminary results of the continuing investigations were 

 reviewed during the Commission's Annual Meeting in Miami, 

 Florida, on 10-12 December 1987. It was apparent that further 

 studies were reguired to determine whether one or more viruses, 

 environmental pollutants, or natural environmental fluctuations 

 were the primary cause or a factor contributing to the die-off. 

 It also was apparent that further studies were necessary to 

 identify the distribution and patterns of mortality and its 

 impact on nearshore and offshore stocks of bottlenose dolphins 

 and other marine species. 



Following its Annual Meeting, the Commission consulted with 

 the National Marine Fisheries Service and others to determine 

 what might be done to expedite the investigation. On 16 March 

 1988, the Commission wrote to the National Marine Fisheries 

 Service noting that, although it had not been anticipated at the 

 end of 1987, the die-off had continued and that the cause or 

 causes of mortality were still unknown. Therefore, the 

 Commission recommended, among other things, that: (1) the 

 Service appoint a senior scientist to administer the program; 



(2) all four elements of the program (medicine, environmental 

 correlates, natural history, and population dynamics) be reviewed 

 by involved scientists and independent experts with respect to 

 plans for continuation of the investigation and development of 

 contingency plans, should the die-off resume in the summer; and 



(3) a second full review be scheduled for sometime in early 

 summer to finalize plans to address a die-off, should one occur 

 again in 1988. 



The Service wrote to the Commission on 8 April 1988, 

 responding directly to the recommendations contained in the 

 Commission's 16 March letter. In its letter, the Service stated 

 that it had assigned lead responsibility for the die-off 

 investigation to a senior staff scientist; that a program review 

 would be convened with involved and independent scientists; that 

 attention would be focused on contingency planning, should a 

 similar die-off occur in the future; that other Federal agencies 

 would be invited to participate in the program review; and that 

 the review would be an opportunity for the Service to guery what 

 support might be forthcoming. 



The cause or biological significance of the 1987-1988 die- 

 off had not been determined by mid-1988 when Congress was 

 addressing reauthorization of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. 

 Therefore, in the amendments to the Act, signed into law on 

 23 November 1988, Congress directed that the National Marine 



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