101 



2. The allocation of monies to fund and conduct resea rch into 

 mitigation techniques to reduce incidental take . 



It may be unreasonable to expect fisheries to reduce their level of 

 take without incentive or means to do so. The zero mortality rate 

 goal in the Act provides the incentive, but some research is 

 necessary to provide the means. In the past, research into methods 

 of mitigating the take of marine mammals has only been funded in 

 crisis situations, such as when marine mammals are about to be 

 designated as threatened or depleted or when public outcry over a 

 particular situation mandates a reduction in the incidental take of 

 marine mammals. 



The NMFS should implement a pro-active program on mitigation 

 research. NMFS has proposed budget categories which would fund 

 monitoring of take and stock research; however, they have not 

 provided any specific plan to ensure the occurrence of research 

 designed to reduce the level of take of marine mammals. Any 

 current information pertaining to methods of reducing take should 

 be promptly disseminated to members of the fishing industry through 

 aggressive education efforts. Further research is needed and 

 should begin immediately. Results of this research will help 

 reduce the take of marine mammals in fisheries which require 

 immediate and substantial reductions in take. Results of this 

 research may also assist other fisheries with less significant 

 interactions to reduce their take. This will help prevent the 

 occurrence of additional problematic levels of interactions. 

 Implementation of an adequately funded mitigation research program 

 to reduce marine mammal takes will provide immediate benefits to 

 both commercial fisheries and to marine mammals. 



Therefore, we believe that monies should be allocated for 

 the specific purpose of conducting research on mitigation 

 techniques and new technology to reduce incidental take, and 

 that this research should begin immediately upon adoption of 

 the new commercial fishery interaction regime. 



