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REPORT ON PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT 



Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission 

 Technical Committee on Marine Mammals 



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 



Management of certain marine mammal species and their interactions with 

 fisheries and other marine resources are issues of concern to the Pacific 

 Marine Fisheries Commission (PMFC). Since passage of the Marine Mammal 

 Protection Act of 1972 (MMPA) some marine mammal populations have exhibited 

 increases in abundance and are regularly involved in adverse interactions with 

 fish resources and with sport and commercial fisheries. Such interactions can 

 result in depredations on fish stocks, damage and loss of fishing gear and 

 catch, and high rates of marine mammal mortalities. In many cases, the MMPA 

 does not provide for the effective management of marine mammal -fishery 

 conflicts that result in losses to fish resources, fisheries, and the mammal 

 populations. 



Current authorization for the MMPA will expire on 30 September 1988 and 

 U.S. Congressional reauthorization hearings may be held as early as spring of 

 1988. The reauthorization process provides an opportunity to modify and 

 improve the current form of the MMPA. To that end, PMFC formed a Technical 

 Conriittee to examine the issue of management of marine mammals and fishery 

 interactions, and to propose modifications that, if developed as successful 

 amendments to the MMPA, would result in a more integrated and rational 

 approach to the management of marine mammals, marine fishes, and fisheries. 



The Cotimittee, consisting of fisheries and wildlife scientists and 

 managers from state resource agencies in California, Oregon, Washington, and 

 Alaska, recognized the broad national support for the MMPA and for marine 

 mammal conservation. The MMPA constitutes one of the most significant steps 



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