Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) 
Humpback whales, over-exploited throughout their range, 
are endangered. Threats to the species include commercial 
and recreational ship traffic, offshore oil and gas development, 
sport and commercial fisheries, and certain coastal developments. 
At certain times of the year, humpback whales may be found 
off both coasts of the United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. 
Glacier Bay National Monument, Alaska 
In the late summer of 1979, the Commission, with the 
assistance of the National Park Service and the National 
Marine Fisheries Service, convened a meeting to: review 
information on the nature and possible causes of humpback 
whale movement from Glacier Bay; review on-going and planned 
research and management actions related to humpback whales 
in Glacier Bay and adjacent waters; and identify additional 
research or management actions needed to protect and conserve 
the North Pacific population(s) of humpback whales. The 
meeting, held on 12-13 October 1979, included representatives 
of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Alaska Department 
of Fish and Game, the cruise ship industry, and the scientific 
community as well as representatives of the Park Service, 
the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Commission 
(see the 1979 Annual Report). 
Participants concluded that: although vessel traffic 
had increased and humpback whales were no longer using the 
Bay as in the past, available information had not been 
evaluated fully and likely would be insufficient to determine, 
with certainty, whether increased vessel traffic was respon- 
sible for the observed shift in whale distribution; information 
on whale-vessel interactions needed more thorough evaluation; 
and the data analysis results should be evaluated to determine 
what restrictions, if any, on vessel traffic might be needed. 
The Commission staff forwarded the meeting report to participants 
in November 1979. 
On 3 December 1979, the National Marine Fisheries 
Service advised the National Park Service of the results of 
its threshold examination conducted pursuant to Section 7 of 
the Endangered Species Act. The Service found that increased 
vessel traffic, particularly of erratically travelling 
charter/pleasure craft, had probably altered the humpback 
whale behavior in Glacier Bay and thus might be implicated 
in their departure, and recommended that the National Park 
Service: reduce vessel use of the Bay to 1976 levels; 
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