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the MMPA. In addition to these legislative actions, steps 

 could be taken to assist Alaska Natives in their efforts to 

 regulate their polar bear harvests, such as is currently being 

 done for the Beaufort Sea polar bear population in a 

 cooperative agreement between the North Slope Borough Fish and 

 Game Management Council and the Inuvialuit Game Council of 

 Canada's Northwest Territories. Native communities in Alaska 

 have a strong record of self-regulation in order to ensure the 

 long-term viability of wildlife populations. This tradition 

 could be bolstered by the federal government to advance the 

 goals of the Agreement. 



There are also amendments that could be made to the Polar 

 Bear Agreement to make it consistent with the MMPA. These 

 changes to the Agreement include: adding a prohibition on 

 harassment; authorizing limited forms of incidental take (if a 

 harassment prohibition is added) ; and authorizing control of 

 nuisance animals. As in the case of amendments to the MMPA, 

 policy decisions need to be made on the value of pursuing 

 these amendments and the need for conformance between the 

 Agreement and the MMPA in every respect. 



Obviously, not all of these changes are of equal 

 importance. The purpose of this report, as requested by the 

 Marine Mammal Commission, is to identify areas of 

 inconsistency and discuss possible solutions, including 

 amendments to existing laws. Ultimately, policy judgments 

 will have to be made on whether and, if so how, to pursue the 

 actions identified in this report. 



10990 1 -970O/DA930320 016) -Vii- 12/20/9! 



