74 



occurred in 1990 out of 571,000 fishing days. Over 91,000 marine mammals were reported 

 to have been harassed, 2,100 injured, and 2,600 killed. Based on repons submitted by 

 fisheries themselves, 52,639 marine mammal interactions with fishing gear occurred in 1991 

 out of 131,935 fishing days. Over 50,676 marine mammals were reported to have been 

 harassed, 623 injured, and 1,340 killed. 



Reports from observers indicate that the data generated by fishery participants are 

 likely to significantly underestimate mortality levels. For example, the mortality estimates of 

 harbor porpoise in the Gulf of Marine sink gillnet fishery for 1990 alone based on observer 

 repons (2,400) was nearly 30 times greater than the 85 deaths reported by logbook 

 participants in that fishery. In 1991, observers reported 1,700 harbor porpoise -killed while 

 logbooks tallied only 93. 



The logbooks contain numerous examples of misidentified or unidentified marine 

 mammal species. For example, NMFS continues to allow the reporting of North Atlantic 

 gray seals in Pacific fisheries, and tropical species in Alaskan waters. Unidentified marine 

 mammals show up on reports in the following categories: 



