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span from southeast Alaska to Bristol Bay in southwestern Alaska, 

 including Kodiak Island, Prince William Sound and the Alaska 

 Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. On February 1, 1994, the 

 Commission entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Fish and 

 Wildlife Service and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The 

 MOA sets out the respective responsibilities of the three 

 organizations concerning the management of sea otters. The 

 Commission is currently in the process of developing locally-based 

 regional management plans for each of the six regions represented 

 by the Commission. In January, 1993, the ASOC hired a marine 

 mammal biologist to develop the regional management plans in 

 consultation with tribal leaders, sea otter hunters, and skin 

 sewers. The goal of the management plans is to develop harvest 

 guidelines and to assure biologically and ecologically sound plans 

 that conform to traditional Native regulatory practices. A 

 Scientific Advisory Council has been convened by the ASOC to assist 

 with the plans. At this point, the research necessary to draft 

 plans for two regions has been completed, and plans for the four 

 remaining regions will be completed by December, 1995. In addition 

 to developing the locally-based, regional sea otter management 

 plans, the ASOC continues to work towards informing Alaska Natives 

 about existing federal iaws regarding sea otters, and to assure 

 there is no wasteful take of sea otters. 



Eskimo Walrus Commission . 



The Eskimo Walrus Commission was formed in 1978 by villages 

 throughout western, northwestern and northern Alaska for a variety 

 of purposes related to protection of subsistence uses of walrus by 

 Alaska Natives: 



1. to encourage self-regulation of walrus hunting and 

 management of walrus by Alaska Natives; 



2. to provide education and information to the public; 



3. to assure the wise utilization of all parts of the walrus, 

 including the encouragement of better food preservation and 

 improved means of harvest; 



4 . to represent marine mammal hunting communities in reviewing 

 and commenting on governmental and other actions which might 

 affect marine mammals; 



5. to involve users in the decision-making process and in 

 scientific research programs; and 



6. to encourage the federal government to cooperate with other 

 nations in studies, enforcement, and other involvements in the 

 well-being of marine mammals. 



The EWC has 19 commissioners who act on behalf of the walrus- 

 hunting communities. In 1980, the Commission assisted in the 

 creation of the Pacific Walrus Technical Committee, which is 



