Chapter VIII 
MARINE MAMMAL MANAGEMENT IN ALASKA 
Marine mammal conservation in Alaska presents an 
extraordinary challenge. Contributing to the complex- 
ity of marine mammal issues are the large populations 
of several species within and adjacent to State waters, 
the State’s extensive and often remote coastline, the 
use of marine mammals by Alaska Natives for subsis- 
tence purposes, and interactions with fisheries and 
coastal and offshore oil and gas development. 
In 1992 the Commission continued to devote 
attention to a number of critical issues in Alaska and 
surrounding areas. Of particular importance were the 
development of species accounts, conservation plans, 
and recovery plans for several species of Alaska 
marine mammals; a marking and tagging program to 
collect data on Native subsistence harvests and prevent 
illegal taking and trade in marine mammal products; 
assessment of possible changes in environmental 
conditions in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea 
ecosystems; and measures to predict, detect, and 
Mitigate possible effects on marine mammals of 
offshore oil and gas activities. The first two topics 
are addressed below; the Gulf of Alaska/Bering Sea 
ecosystems and oil and gas exploration are discussed 
in Chapters IV and IX, respectively. 
Species Accounts, Conservation Plans, 
and Recovery Plans 
The Marine Mammal Protection Act amendments 
of 1988 direct the Secretaries of Commerce and the 
Interior to develop conservation plans for depleted 
marine mammal species or populations. Congress 
also suggested that the Secretaries consider developing 
conservation plans for non-depleted species that would 
benefit from such documents. Conservation plans are 
similar to the recovery plans required for species 
listed under the Endangered Species Act. They 
provide a framework for planning research and 
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management actions needed to further conservation 
objectives. In this regard, the Marine Mammal 
Commission has provided advice and assistance to the 
National Marine Fisheries Service and the Fish and 
Wildlife Service to help develop and implement plans 
for several species. 
In 1988 species accounts with research and man- 
agement recommendations for 10 species of Alaska 
marine mammals were published by the Commission 
(see Appendix B, Lentfer 1988). These accounts were 
forwarded to the Fish and Wildlife Service and the 
National Marine Fisheries Service to help the agencies 
evaluate and improve research and management 
programs for each species. In its letter transmitting 
the final published report to the Fish and Wildlife 
Service, the Commission recommended that the 
accounts be used as the basis for developing conserva- 
tion plans for polar bears, walruses, and sea otters. 
The Commission’s letter to the National Marine 
Fisheries Service included a similar recommendation 
regarding the Steller sea lion account. The Fish and 
Wildlife Service initiated management planning efforts 
for polar bears and walruses in 1989 and for sea otters 
in 1990, and as an initial step set up management plan 
advisory teams. Team meetings were held, and as 
discussed in previous annual reports, some progress 
was made on drafting management plans. 
Subsequently the Fish and Wildlife Service advised 
the Commission that it had initiated preparation of 
conservation plans for polar bears, walruses, and sea 
otters. During the Commission’s 1991 annual meet- 
ing in Bellevue, Washington, representatives of the 
Service updated the Commission on the status of its 
efforts. The Service noted that because of the March 
1988 Exxon Valdez oil spill, little progress had been 
made on drafting the plans. To help speed their 
development the Commission offered to arrange for 
development of preliminary draft plans for each 
species. The Service agreed and, as discussed in 
