Chapter II — Species of Special Concern 



have been higher and may have reduced octopus stock 

 levels. A report entitled "Magnuson-Stevens Act 

 Definitions and Required Provisions," published by 

 the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management 

 Council in September 1998 noted that mollusks 

 account for just 1 percent of the lobster fishery 

 bycatch in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, but 

 that 23 percent of the bycatch is crabs, 25 percent is 

 reef fishes, 1 1 percent is moray eels, and 4 percent is 

 other lobster species. All of these are components of 

 the monk seal diet. In addition, preliminary results of 

 research to identify the relative importance of monk 

 seal prey species using fatty acid signatures of prey in 

 seal blubber were presented at the recovery team's 

 December meeting. The results suggested that this is 

 a promising means of assessing the composition of 

 monk seal diets, and that lobsters, as well as crabs, 

 eels, reef fishes, and octopuses, are important dietary 

 components. With sampling and analyses done to 

 date, however, it is not possible to reach firm conclu- 

 sions about the relative importance of different species 

 in the diet of monk seals. 



In light of new information on the fishing effort at 

 atolls with major monk seal breeding colonies and 

 available information indicating that lobsters and other 

 species taken as bycatch in the lobster fishery may be 

 significant components in the monk seal diet, the 

 Marine Mammal Commission wrote to the Service on 

 31 December 1998. It recommended that the Service 

 immediately reinitiate consultations pursuant to section 

 7 of the Endangered Species Act on the possible effect 

 of lobster fishing in the Northwestern Hawaiian 

 Islands on Hawaiian monk seals. In addition, the 

 Commission again recommended that the Service 

 immediately close French Frigate Shoals to lobster 

 fishing pending the availability of better information 

 on (1) the importance of lobsters and other species 

 taken in the lobster fishery in the diet of monk seals, 

 and (2) the status of lobster stocks at French Frigate 

 Shoals. 



In this regard, the Commission recommended that 

 the Service provide at least $50,000 to expedite and 

 support a research program to investigate monk seal 

 prey preferences using fatty acid signatures. The 

 Commission also recommended that the Service 

 immediately act to prohibit lobster fishing at reefs 

 surrounding Kure Atoll, Pearl and Hermes Reef, and 



Lisianski Island until there is better information on the 

 importance of lobsters and other species taken in the 

 fishery in the diet of Hawaiian monk seals and on the 

 status of monk seal stocks at those atolls. The Com- 

 mission looks forward to a response from the Service 

 early in 1999. 



Enhancing Survival of Pups Born at 

 French Frigate Shoals 



In past years the National Marine Fisheries Service 

 has rescued and rehabilitated female yearling monk 

 seals unlikely to survive at French Frigate Shoals and 

 released them at Kure Atoll to help rebuild that 

 depleted colony. The purpose of the effort was to 

 salvage some of the reproductive potential that was 

 being lost at French Frigate Shoals because of low 

 juvenile survival. In 1992 the Service switched 

 release efforts to Midway Atoll to help increase the 

 small but growing colony there. Unlike translocations 

 to Kure Atoll, however, initial releases at Midway 

 Atoll experienced poor survival. Further transloca- 

 tions were suspended pending a thorough review of 

 the program. 



After that review, the Commission recommended 

 that translocations to Midway be reinitiated. The 

 Service captured 12 female pups at French Frigate 

 Shoals for this purpose in 1995 and brought them to 

 Oahu for rehabilitation. While in captivity, the 

 animals developed an undiagnosed eye problem never 

 before observed, and they could not be released. A 

 1997 review of the situation by an independent panel 

 of veterinarians and wildlife managers recommended, 

 in part, that translocation efforts be renewed, but that 

 instead of bringing animals to Oahu, rehabilitation be 

 carried out at the capture or release site and the 

 animals be moved directly to Midway. 



During the Commission's 1998 annual meeting, 

 representatives of the Service advised the Commission 

 that funds would be available in fiscal year 1999 for 

 translocating weaned female pups from French Frigate 

 Shoals to Midway Atoll. In anticipation of translo- 

 cating pups this year, the Service carried out a health 

 and disease assessment involving seals at French 

 Frigate Shoals, Pearl and Hermes Reef, and Midway 

 Island. Preliminary results indicated the presence of 



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