MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION - Annual Report for 1998 



^^ Winter Distribution 



^ Winter Areas 

 of Abundance 



oft- 



Figure 9. Range of the Pacific walrus. 



The Department of the Interior has lead responsi- 

 bility for walrus research and management under 

 provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. In 

 1994 the Fish and Wildlife Service adopted a conser- 

 vation plan outlining actions needed to maintain 

 Pacific walruses at their optimum sustainable popula- 

 tion level. As discussed in past annual reports, the 

 plan was developed by the Service at the recommen- 

 dation of the Commission and with assistance from 

 the Commission, the Native community, the State of 

 Alaska, and others. Also in 1994 the Marine Mam- 

 mal Protection Act was amended to facilitate the 

 development of cooperative marine mammal manage- 

 ment agreements with Native groups, and officials in 

 the United States and Russia signed a protocol of 

 intent to negotiate a bilateral agreement on the conser- 



vation of walruses. Recent activities on these and 

 related matters are discussed below. 



Pacific Walrus Stock Assessment Report 



Amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection 

 Act in 1994 required the Fish and Wildlife Service 

 and the National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare 

 and periodically update stock assessment reports for 

 each marine mammal stock in U.S. waters. The 

 purpose of the reports is to provide a basis for making 

 management decisions to address the incidental take of 

 marine mammals in commercial fisheries. These 

 reports must include a calculation of the potential 

 biological removal level for each stock and a determi- 

 nation as to whether the stock is a strategic stock 



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