Appendix A — Commission Recommendations 



3 December 



8 December 



Transportation, commenting to the U.S. Coast Guard on its participation in the 

 northern right whale recovery program; commending the Coast Guard on its various 

 efforts to reduce northern right whale mortality; and recommending that the Coast 

 Guard, as a matter of highest priority, seek approval from the International Maritime 

 Organization for a U.S. proposed mandatory ship reporting system. 



Commerce, commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service on the incidental 

 take of harbor porpoise in gillnet fisheries along the east coast; commending the 

 Service for taking measures to reduce bycatch; recommending that it undertake 

 additional research on pingers to improve understanding of factors such as the sound 

 frequencies, frequency variations, and/or the harmonics of acoustic deterrent devices 

 that are most important for deterring harbor porpoise, and how sound characteristics 

 and bycatch rates change over time as battery power declines; recommending that the 

 Service immediately (1) consult with fishermen and scientists experienced with using 

 pingers to identify ways of making pingers more reliable and easier to use, and (2) as 

 warranted, contract with an appropriately qualified engineer to design an improved 

 prototype pinger incorporating the desired features; further recommending that the 

 Service announce that it will proceed with listing the Gulf of Maine harbor porpoise 

 stock as threatened under the Endangered Species Act if measures adopted under the 

 take reduction plan do not successfully reduce bycatch levels to less than the calculat- 

 ed potential biological removal level; and recommending that the Service keep the 

 population's status under close review and continue research to monitor status and 

 trends. 



8 December 



9 December 



10 December 



18 December 

 21 December 



Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans, commenting to the Canadian Depart- 

 ment of Fisheries and Oceans on joint U.S.- Canadian efforts to aid in the recovery 

 of endangered northern right whales and to reduce the bycatch of harbor porpoise; 

 requesting that the Department seek increased funding for Canada's right whale 

 recovery program while maintaining support for efforts to assess and minimize the 

 incidental take of harbor porpoise in gillnets. 



Interior, providing general and specific comments the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

 on the Draft Environmental Assessment and the Draft Conceptual Management Plan 

 for the proposed Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. 



Defense, commending the Navy on its continued effort to create a safer environment 

 for marine mammals and other living marine organisms; specifically commending its 

 efforts to protect right whales, conserve Hawaiian monk seals, and assess the effects 

 of anthropogenic ocean noise on marine mammals. 



Commerce, scientific research permit. Brad F. Andrews, Sea World. 



Commerce, commenting to the National Marine Fisheries Service; commending the 

 National Marine Fisheries Service, the Coast Guard, and the Navy for a variety of 

 cooperative actions to protect the western North Atlantic Ocean population of 

 northern right whales; recommending that the Service increase its base level funding 

 request for the program from $200,000 requested for 1999 to $1.3 million to reflect 

 ongoing program needs for operating a mandatory ship reporting system, monitoring 

 right whales in critical right whale habitats, developing and maintaining a geographic 

 information system of data on right whales and their habitat, continuing efforts to 



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