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working relationship with the Marine Mammal Commission and its 

 Committee of Scientific Advisors, the National Marine Fisheries 

 Service, the newly created National Biological Survey, the Bureau 

 of Indian Affairs, and other Federal agencies. We also cooperate 

 with affected States, Alaska Native organizations, conservation 

 organizations, and other entities on marine mammal issues of mutual 

 concern. 



STATUS OF MARINE MAMMALS UNDER SERVICE JURISDICTION 

 All three species of manatees, the dugong, the marine otter, and 

 the southern or California sea otter are listed as endangered or 

 threatened under the Endangered Species Act and, therefore, are 

 considered depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Marine 

 mammal species under Service jurisdiction in Alaska are considered 

 to be non-depleted and populations are currently believed to be 

 healthy. 



The Pacific walrus, a population shared with Russia, had an 

 estimated minimum population of 201,000 in 1990 based on a joint 

 Russia/U.S. population survey. Although this estimate is less than 

 the estimate of 232,000 animals derived from the 1985 survey, 

 anomalous ice conditions prevailed during the 1990 survey and 

 comparing the two estimates is, at best, a tenuous proposition. 

 The Service believes the Pacific walrus population is at pr near 

 historic high levels and is stable or slightly decreasing. 



