with the applicable law and procedures, many of the Federal 
officials and interested public were not familiar with the 
atypical nature and extent of the complex and difficult 
Marine mammal issues in Alaska; seven of the species (Steller 
sea lion, bearded seal, harbor seal, larga seal, ribbon 
seal, ringed seal, and beluga whale) were subject to the 
jurisdiction of the Secretary of Commerce, while the other 
three species (polar bear, sea otter, and walrus) were 
subject to the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior; 
and this bifurcation of jurisdiction required consideration 
and decisions by two separate agencies and compounded the 
problems. 
Although these difficulties delayed action on the 
State's request, the Commission had hoped that most of the 
issues had been or could be resolved and that effective 
Federal-State management efforts consistent with the Act 
could finally be implemented for all ten species in 1979. 
The waiver of the moratorium and return of management of 
walrus was approved by the Director of the Fish and Wildlife 
Service in December 1975, subject to certain changes being 
made in the State's proposed laws and regulations. The 
State submitted modified laws and regulations which were 
approved by the Director in April 1976 and the State resumed 
Management of walrus with quotas and other measures applicable 
to the taking of walrus by natives and non-natives. The 
waiver of the moratorium and return of management of the 
other species was approved in January 1979, again subject to 
certain changes being made in the State's laws and regulations 
before it could be effected and subject to a further condition 
that a scientific workshop be convened to continue the 
evaluation of data and research efforts relating to the 
affected marine mammal populations. Representatives of the 
Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors participated 
in that workshop which was organized by the Alaska Department 
of Fish and Game and convened on 11-13 January 1979. In 
addition, while representatives of the State of Alaska 
expressed disagreement with some aspects of the January 1979 
conditional decision to waive the moratorium and return 
Management, they indicated a desire to work with Federal 
officials to resolve the problems. Meetings to discuss and 
develop a mutually acceptable resolution of issues relating 
to the language of the decision and to draft the necessary 
modifications of laws and regulations appeared to be 
progressing well. 
Unfortunately, this apparent progress in resolving most 
of the issues relating to the waiver and return of management 
was slowed, if not stopped, by difficulties associated with 
the "native exemption" clause set forth in Section 101(b) of 
the Act. jin April 1979, U.S. District Court Judge Harold H-. 
Greene issued an order denying the Federal government's 
