Live-captures and removals probably have not had a 

 significant adverse effect on the species as a whole. 

 However, the species does not occur uniformly throughout 

 its range and may include a number of more or less discrete 

 populations. If so, captures and removals may have had or 

 may be having an adverse effect on "local" populations. 

 In addition, disturbance and environmental degradation from 

 coastal development, exploration and exploitation of 

 offshore oil and gas resources, or other human activities 

 may have had or be having an adverse effect on populations. 



The National Marine Fisheries Service is responsible, 

 under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, for 

 assuring that live-captures and removals do not have 

 significant adverse effects on bottlenose dolphins. To meet 

 this responsibility, the Service, in 1977, following 

 consultations with the Commission, developed and adopted 

 a system for regulating the number of bottlenose dolphins 

 that can be taken annually from various areas for scientific 

 research and public display. Information available at that 

 time was insufficient to accurately identify or assess the 

 status of the populations that may have been affected by 

 prior removals or to determine the precise number, age, or 

 sex of animals that could be taken annually from various 

 areas without causing the populations to be reduced below 

 their optimum sustainable size. Therefore, in December 1978, 

 the National Marine Fisheries Service, in consultation with 

 the Commission, convened a workshop to define information 

 needs and to determine how those needs best could be met. 

 Subsequently, the Southeast Fisheries Center of the National 

 Marine Fisheries Service developed a long-range plan for 

 assessing and monitoring the number, age/sex composition, 

 and productivity of dolphins in areas where past and 

 current collection activities were focused. 



During 1982, the Commission consulted with 

 representatives of the Service concerning the further 

 development and implementation of the research and 

 management plan so as to provide the necessary information 

 for protection of Tursiops populations. Representatives 

 of the Service will join members of the Commission and 

 its Committee of Scientific Advisors at their meeting in 

 February 1983 to develop an agreed plan and schedule for 

 completing the analysis of available data and for 

 modifying the research and management plan as necessary. 



- 67 - 



