To follow up on the workshop recommendations, the 
Commission provided funds for a meeting to begin developing 
a comprehensive plan for the Columbia River study, and 
contracted for a study to determine how harbor seals and 
other marine mammals affect and are affected by the salmon 
fishery in the Copper River Delta/Prince William Sound area 
of Alaska (see pp. 11-12 of the Commission's Annual Report 
for 1978). The planning meeting for the Columbia River 
study led to a research proposal which was submitted to and 
funded by the National Marine Fisheries Service following 
extensive review and revision (see p. 22 of the Commission's 
Annual Report for 1979). 
The Columbia River study, started in early 1980, and 
scheduled to be completed in late 1983, is intended to 
provide the information needed to resolve marine mammal- 
fishery conflicts in the Columbia River and adjacent waters. 
However, because of budget limitations, the National Marine 
Fisheries Service has been unable to assure continued and 
adequate funding and the Commission is concerned that it may 
not be possible to complete the project on schedule and in 
such a way as to provide the kinds and quality of information 
needed for decision-making. The Commission, considering the 
project critical, advised the Service of its concerns by 
letters of 5 and 29 December 1980. The Service shared the 
Commission's concerns and scheduled a project review for 
early 1981. 
The Commission-sponsored research project in the Copper 
River Delta/Prince William Sound area of Alaska was completed 
and the report (see Appendix B) provided to the National 
Marine Fisheries Service and other interested parties. 
Among other things, the report notes that: substantial fish 
loss, fish damage, and gear damage apparently are caused by 
Marine mammals, particularly harbor seals and Steller sea 
lions; substantial numbers of marine mammals, particularly 
harbor porpoise, harbor seals, and Steller sea lions are 
taken incidentally during fishing operations; the levels of 
incidental take and marine mammal-caused gear damage and 
fish damage vary from location to location and by season and 
time of day; deterrent devices, such as "seal bombs", appear 
to be effective in driving away marine mammals that are 
interfering with or may interfere with fishing operations; 
rates of incidental take, gear damage, and fish damage could 
be substantially reduced if fishermen used deterrent devices 
and avoided long-term sets (especially overnight sets of 
unattended nets) and fishing at certain times and in certain 
places; and the nature and extent of incidental take is 
difficult to determine precisely because most fishermen 
operate without "incidental take" permits and are reluctant 
to report or discuss catches. 
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