OND99 Quarterly Rpt. sidebar
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(Quarterly Report for Jan-Feb-March 1998)
Organization
of the National Marine Mammal Laboratory Changes
Over the last 24 months, the
National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML) has lost through retirement or employment
elsewhere seven key scientists. To accommodate these changes and to allow a greater
emphasis on the three stocks of harbor seals in Alaska, the NMML has reorganized.
The following changes are notable:
Charles Fowler, in addition to
directing the Ecosystem Management and Ecology Program, will also direct the Program
Management Task
responsibility for harbor seal
research will move from the Alaska Ecosystem Program to the Polar Pinniped Program (PPP).
Along with this change in responsibility, Dave Withrow and Jack Cesarone will be
moved to the PPP, where they will continue to work on harbor seal studies
Rich Ferrero and Rod Hobbs will
serve as acting Program Leaders for the Cetacean Assessment and Ecology Program (CAEP)
until a replacement for the previous program leader (D. DeMaster) can be hired
Marilyn Dahlheim and Marcia Muto,
formerly in the Ecosystem Management and Ecology Program, will be moved to the CAEP
Robyn Angliss, formerly with the
Office of Protected Resources, will be joining the CAEP. Any questions regarding
responsibilities under this organization should be directed to Doug DeMaster, Director,
NMML, (206) 526-4047.
By Doug DeMaster.
Winter Steller
Sea Lion Prey Study
Scientists from the NMML and USFWS
conducted an echo integration-midwater trawl survey for Steller sea lion (Eumetopias
jubatus) prey at three sites in Alaska waters during 4-25 March 1998 aboard the
USFWS vessel Tila. The area of operations included the Buldir, Kasatochi, and
Ugamak rookeries and waters surrounding these sites.
The principal objectives of the
cruise were to 1) conduct echo integration-midwater trawl surveys around the rookeries to
compare with similar surveys conducted during July 1997 and 2) collect scat samples at
rookeries and haul-out areas in the region. Secondary objectives included sighting surveys
of marine mammals and seabirds during echo integration surveys, collection of blubber
samples for fatty acid analysis, counts of sea lions by age and sex, and capture and
instrumentation of juvenile sea lions.
A total of 483 km of transects were
completed355 km during the day and 128 km at night. One midwater trawl survey
using a 6-m modified herring trawl was conducted at Ugamak Island. The midwater
trawl found a variety of fish including adult pollock, as well as euphausiids, a few jelly
fish, and larval fish. Longline sets were made within 2 nmi of Kasatochi and Buldir
Islands and caught Pacific halibut, Pacific cod, and sculpins. Stomach contents
collected from 15 halibut and 18 cod will be analyzed by the REFM Divisions Food
Habits Laboratory. Seventy-six CTD (conductivity-temperature depth) casts were made during
the survey. Continuous sea surface temperature (SST) and salinity data were obtained
during all transects. SST was typically around 3o- 4o C, with
surface salinity in the range of 32-33.
Thirty hours of marine mammal and
seabird sighting surveys were conducted. The most common species observed were
common and thick-billed murres, crested auklets, white winged scoters, and glaucous-winged
gulls. This was distinctly different from the species observed at the sites during
summershearwaters, northern fulmars, tufted puffins, common murres, black-legged
kittiwakes, and ancient murrelets. Marine mammal species sighted include killer
whales, a minke whale, and Dalls porpoise. Killer whales were seen in
sufficient numbers to attempt photographing them: 8 in the Kanaga area, 8-10 in Amchitka
Pass, 5 near Seguam, and 12-15 in the Ugamak area. Scat samples (184) were
collected at various sites throughout the region. No juveniles were captured for
satellite instrumentation and no blubber samples were collected.
By Kathryn Chumbley.
Census of Gray
Whales During Their Southbound Migration
Observers conducted counts of gray
whales migrating past Granite Canyon, California, from 13 December 1997 to 24 February
1998. Observers were rotated through 3-hour standard watches and covered 9 hours per day
whenever weather allowed. Severe storms and road damage on 2 February stopped the
primary effort, but an alternate site was used 11-24 February to continue documentation of
the seasonal trends in sighting rates. Most watches in January were conducted as
paired, independent observations such that comparisons of effort could be made. Sighting
rates were low (< 1/hour) from 13 to 24 December, increasing to nearly 14/hour in
mid-January, then decreasing until mid-February when the migration reversed and became
northbound. The migration timing does not appear to be remarkably different from
other years.
By Dave Rugh.
Comanagement
of Marine Mammal Subsistence Use
Section 119 of the 1994 amendments
to the Marine Mammal Protection Act authorizes the Secretaries of Commerce and Interior to
enter into cooperative agreements with Alaska Native organizations to conserve
marine mammals and provide comanagement of subsistence use by Alaska Natives.
The purpose of such cooperative agreements would be to enhance communication and
cooperation between the Federal Government and Alaska Native organizations by forming
partnerships to:
collect and analyze data on marine
mammal populations
monitor the harvest of marine
mammals for subsistence use
participate in marine mammal
research conducted by the Federal Government, state governments, academic institutions,
and private organizations
develop marine mammal comanagement
structures with Federal and state agencies.
Beginning in 1995, representatives
from NMFS, the USFWS, and the Biological Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey
met with representatives of Alaska Native organizations to explore ways to implement the
provisions of Section 119. Those discussions revealed a strong mutual desire both by
the Federal Government and Alaska Natives to work more closely with each other to conserve
marine mammal populations and to ensure the long-term sustainability of subsistence
harvests. All parties expressed interest in finding ways to prevent marine mammal
stocks from diminishing beyond the point at which they cease to fulfill their role in
their ecosystem and to levels that do not allow sustainable subsistence harvests.
The negotiations concluded successfully in August 1997 with the signing of a
Memorandum of Agreement between the Federal agencies noted above and the Indigenous
Peoples Council for Marine Mammals, which provides a foundation for developing
individual agreements under Section 119. This umbrella agreement outlines the
framework within which Federal agencies and Alaska Native organizations will work together
to formulate individual agreements that will address specific issues of marine mammal
conservation and comanagement of subsistence use in Alaska.
In February 1998, representatives
from NMML, the Alaska Regional Office, and the Office of Protected Resources met with
representatives of the Alaska Native Harbor Seal Commission to discuss the development of
an individual agreement to conserve Alaska harbor seals and to provide comanagement of
subsistence use. A small drafting group met in March to move that process forward,
and a conceptual framework and draft outline has been agreed. Drafting of a
potential agreement between NMFS and the Alaska Native Harbor Seal Commission is expected
to continue over the next several months. It is hoped that if an agreement can be
finalized, it will serve to strengthen NMFS ability to meet its Alaska harbor seal
conservation and management goals by working together with the Alaska Native community.
By John Bengtson.
Marine Mammal
Stock Assessment Reports Revised
The NMML in conjunction with the
Alaska Scientific Review Group (SRG) has revised 15 of the 33 stock assessment reports for
stocks of marine mammals recognized to inhabit Alaska waters. The revised Alaska
stock assessments for 1998 include all the strategic stocks (western U.S. Steller sea
lions, eastern U.S. Steller sea lions, northern fur seals, Cook Inlet beluga whales, sperm
whales, western North Pacific humpback whales, central North Pacific humpback whales, fin
whales, right whales, and bowhead whales), plus harbor seals (Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea,
and Southeast Alaska stocks), and killer whales (eastern North Pacific transient and
northern resident stocks).
Additionally the NMML, in
conjunction with the Pacific SRG, has revised five of six stock assessment reports for
marine mammal stocks in the Pacific Region. The revised Pacific stock assessments
include the following stocks: Oregon and Washington coastal waters harbor seal; Washington
inland waters harbor seal; San Miguel Island, California, northern fur seal; Oregon and
Washington coast harbor porpoise; and inland Washington harbor porpoise.
Fishery mortality sections in the
revised reports have been updated where possible to include Observer Program data, fisher
self-reporting data, and stranding data through 1996. Similarly, subsistence harvest
information through 1996 has been included for those stocks which are taken by Alaska
Natives for subsistence purposes. New abundance estimates are available and have
been included in the revised assessments for both Steller sea lion stocks, both northern
fur seal stocks, Cook Inlet beluga whales, both humpback whale stocks, Gulf of Alaska
harbor seals, both killer whale stocks, Oregon and Washington coastal waters harbor seals,
inland Washington harbor seals, and Inland Washington harbor porpoises. Revised
potential biological removal (PBR) levels have been calculated for all stocks having new
abundance estimates. The new information on abundance and mortality did not change
the status (strategic or not) of any of these stocks relative to the 1996 stock assessment
reports. Finally, habitat concerns have been addressed for all strategic stocks.
The revised 1998 Marine Mammal Stock
Assessments are currently in draft form and soon will enter a 90-day public comment
period. It is anticipated that the 1998 stock assessment reports will be finalized
in October 1998.
By Scott Hill.
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