(2) determine the additional research and monitoring 
programs, if any, that would be required to accurately 
assess and detect the possible effects of oil and gas 
exploration and development on Steller sea lions. 
The Commission also recommended that the 
Minerals Management Service consult with the Fish 
and Wildlife Service to (1) determine what actions the 
Minerals Management Service should take to help 
implement the Walrus Conservation Plan being 
developed by the Fish and Wildlife Service, and 
(2) obtain the best available information on sea otter 
distribution, abundance, and trends in and near the 
proposed St. George Basin lease sale area and deter- 
mine how it might assist in implementing the Alaska 
Sea Otter Conservation Plan also being developed by 
the Service. The Commission further recommended 
that the Minerals Management Service consult with 
the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Fish and 
Wildlife Service, and the Alaska Department of Fish 
and Game to identify long-term monitoring studies 
that may be necessary or desirable to ensure that oil 
and gas exploration and development do not disadvan- 
tage marine mammals. Lastly, the Commission 
recommended that the Minerals Management Service 
develop a “Notice to Lessees” describing and indicat- 
ing what must be done to comply with the relevant 
provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. 
Proposed Lease Sale #158, 
Gulf of Alaska - Yakutat 
On 21 August 1992 the Minerals Management 
Service announced its intention to prepare an environ- 
mental impact statement on proposed OCS lease sale 
#158 in the Gulf of Alaska-Yakutat area. At the same 
time, the Service requested information and comments 
on environmental, biological, and other factors that 
might bear on potential leasing and development in the 
area. The sale, tentatively scheduled for mid-1995, 
would cover about 1,307 blocks (or approximately 7.2 
million acres) 3 to 70 miles offshore in water depths 
ranging to more than 13,000 feet. 
The Marine Mammal Commission, in consultation 
with its Committee of Scientific Advisors, reviewed 
the call for information and by letter of 5 October 
1992 forwarded comments to the Service. In its letter 
169 
Chapter IX — OCS Development 
the Commission noted that 17 species of marine 
mammals are known to occur at least seasonally in the 
Gulf of Alaska and surrounding areas. These include 
seven species of endangered whales, the Steller sea 
lion (listed as threatened under the Endangered 
Species Act) and the northern fur seal (designated as 
depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act). 
The Commission indicated that the species of greatest 
concern are the Steller sea lion, the northern fur seal, 
the harbor seal, the right whale, and the sea otter. It 
noted that three other species — the gray whale, 
humpback whale, and killer whale — also merit 
special attention. 
The Commission recommended that the Minerals 
Management Service take a number of actions to 
ensure the necessary protection of these species. 
Specifically, the Commission recommended that if the 
Minerals Management Service had not already done 
sO, it should consult with the National Marine Fisher- 
ies Service and the Alaska Department of Fish and 
Game to (1) obtain the best available information on 
Steller sea lion rookeries, haulout sites, feeding areas, 
prey species, and other essential habitat and habitat 
components that could be affected by oil and gas 
activities in the proposed lease sale area; (2) deter- 
mine any additional research or monitoring programs 
that would be required to accurately assess and detect 
the possible effects of oil and gas exploration and 
development; and (3) identify measures that could be 
taken to avoid or mitigate possible adverse effects on 
Steller sea lions. 
With respect to harbor seals, the Commission 
recommended that the Minerals Management Service 
consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service to 
(1) obtain the best available information on harbor 
seal distribution, abundance, and trends in and near 
the proposed lease sale area; (2) determine any 
additional research or monitoring programs that would 
be required to accurately assess and detect the possible 
effects of oil and gas exploration and development on 
the species; and (3) identify measures that could be 
taken to avoid or mitigate possible adverse effects. 
With respect to sea otters, the Commission recom- 
mended that the Minerals Management Service consult 
with the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Alaska 
Department of Fish and Game to (1) obtain the best 
available information on sea otter distribution, abun- 
