necessary to complete and publish the action plan. 
The plan is expected to be completed and distributed 
by June 1993. 
Conservation of Steller Sea Lions, Harbor 
Seals, and Killer Whales in Alaska 
(Point Stevens Press, Auke Bay, Alaska) 
In 1988 the Marine Mammal Commission pub- 
lished a report entitled “Selected Marine Mammals of 
Alaska: Species Accounts with Research and Manage- 
ment Recommendations” (see Appendix B, Lentfer 
1988). The purpose of this report was to synthesize 
background material for developing conservation plans 
for ten species of Alaska marine mammals. In 1991 
the Marine Mammal Commission contracted for 
updates of the Steller sea lion and harbor seal species 
accounts. It also contracted for preparation of a 
report, with research and management recommenda- 
tions, on killer whales in Alaska. The contract will 
provide funds to cover final editing, preparation of 
graphics, and publication of the three reports. The 
harbor seal and killer whale reports are expected to be 
published early in 1993. The Steller sea lion report is 
expected to be published by early summer. 
LEGAL ASSESSMENT 
Analysis of U.S. Authority for Implementing 
the 1973 Agreement on the 
Conservation of Polar Bears 
(Donald C. Baur, Esquire, Perkins Coie, 
Washington, D.C.) 
When the 1973 Agreement on the Conservation of 
Polar Bears was ratified by the United States in 1976, 
it was believed that the Marine Mammal Protection 
Act would provide adequate authority for the United 
States to implement all provisions of the Agreement. 
Recently questions have been raised as to whether the 
Act provides adequate authority to implement the 
provisions of the Agreement requiring protection of 
denning areas and other areas of similar importance to 
polar bears as well as the provisions prohibiting 
hunting from aircraft and large motorized vehicles. 
This contractor is doing a legal analysis to answer 
these questions. If the analysis indicates that addition- 
al implementing legislation or other measures are 
179 
Chapter X — Research and Studies Program 
necessary for the United States to fully comply with 
the Agreement, the Commission will so advise the 
Department of State and the Fish and Wildlife Ser- 
vice. 
RESEARCH PLANNING AND 
COORDINATION 
Hawaii Humpback Whale Research 
Coordination Meeting 
(University of Hawaii Sea Grant College 
Program, Honolulu, Hawaii) 
At least ten individuals or organizations are autho- 
rized to conduct studies of humpback whales in the 
coastal waters of Hawaii. To ensure that the studies 
are coordinated and carried out with minimum distur- 
bance of the whales and to prevent interference and 
unnecessary duplication, the Commission and the 
National Marine Fisheries Service provided funds for 
the researchers to meet in advance of the 1992 re- 
search season. The researchers discussed and, under 
the direction of the National Marine Fisheries Service, 
agreed on steps to minimize disturbance of whales, 
avoid interference with each other’s research, and 
exchange data and future research plans. 
Symposium on the Biology of the White Shark 
(David G. Ainley, Ph.D., Point Reyes Bird 
Observatory, Stinson Beach, California) 
The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is 
known to prey upon elephant seals, sea lions, and 
harbor seals that pup and breed on the Farallon 
Islands and elsewhere in California. The significance 
of this predation is not well understood. In addition, 
the white shark population is being severely 
overfished and it is not known how depletion of this 
top-level predator may affect important predator-prey 
relationships and the health of the marine ecosystem. 
The contractor is organizing a symposium to review 
available information and identify actions possibly 
needed to protect white sharks and other components 
of the ecosystems of which they are a part. The 
symposium is scheduled to be held in March 1993. 
The Commission will review the symposium proceed- 
