East Coast Cetaceans 
More than 30 species of cetaceans and pinnipeds, including 
six endangered species of large whales, are known to occur 
in waters along the East Coast of the United States. Relatively 
little is known about the status or trends of these species, 
or how they have been or might be affected by offshore oil 
and gas development, coastal zone development, sport and 
commercial fisheries, whale-watching, or other human activities. 
Since the National Marine Fisheries Service, the agency 
responsible for the conservation and protection of these 
species, had not developed an effective research and management 
program, Congress made a special appropriation of $100,000 
to the Commission in FY 80 to facilitate the development of 
a research and management program for East Coast cetaceans. 
To determine how best to invest the money to facilitate 
the development of an effective research and management 
program, the Commission contracted with the New England 
Aquarium to organize and convene a workshop to: compile and 
summarize available information on the status and trends of 
cetaceans and pinnipeds found off the East and Gulf Coasts; 
better define human-related threats to the species; and 
identify research being conducted or planned by the National 
Marine Fisheries Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and 
other entities (see p. 10 of the Commission's Annual Report 
for 1979). Workshop participation was broad. Representatives 
of Federal and State agencies, university scientists and 
others were involved. The group's report (see Appendix B) 
was reviewed by the Commission in consultation with its 
Committee of Scientific Advisors and the decision was made 
to use the money to: (1) compile and evaluate available data 
on cetaceans in the Cape Cod-Massachusetts Bay area; (2) 
initiate a program to assess and monitor the status of 
endangered whales, harbor porpoises, and other cetaceans 
along the Northeast Coast of the United States, especially 
in the Passamaquoddy-Lower Bay of Fundy area of Northwestern 
Maine; and (3) convene a workshop to assess available 
information on the biology, ecology, and exploitation of 
humpback whales in the northwest Atlantic. */ To accomplish 
*/ The appropriation was designated for research relative to 
~ the conservation and protection of East Coast cetaceans. 
However, since many factors affecting cetacean conservation 
and protection also affect pinnipeds, the workshop was 
designed to address pinniped as well as cetacean problems. 
While the appropriated funds were used exclusively for cetacean 
research, the Commission advised the National Marine 
Fisheries Service as to research needed to facilitate the 
conservation and protection of East Coast pinnipeds. 
eit 
