[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 97 (Thursday, May 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31520-31533]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-12579]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 041800A]


Notice of Availability of Draft Stock Assessment Reports

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS has revised the Alaska, Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, and 
Pacific marine mammal stock assessment reports in accordance with the 
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Draft revised 2000 reports are 
available for public review and comment.

DATES: Comments must be received by August 16, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send requests for printed copies of the draft Reports to: 
Chief, Marine Mammal Division, Office of Protected Resources, National 
Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 
20910-3226, Attn: Stock Assessments. Copies of the regional reports may 
also be requested from Anita Lopez, Alaska Fisheries Science Center (F/
AKC), NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE BIN 15700, Seattle, WA 98115-0070 
(Alaska); Janeen Quintal, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 166 Water 
St., Woods Hole, MA 02543 (Northwest Atlantic); Steven Swartz, 
Southeast Fisheries Science Center, 75 Virginia Beach Dr., Miami, FL 
33149 (Mid-Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico); and Tim Price, Southwest 
Regional Office (F/SWO3), NMFS, 501 West Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, 
CA 90802-4213 (Pacific). Electronic copies of the reports can be found 
at the following internet address: http://www.nmfs.gov/prot__res/
mammals/sa__rep/sar.html. Electronic copies of the Atlantic and Gulf of 
Mexico Marine Mammal Stock Assessments can also be found at the 
following internet address: http://www.nefsc.nmfs.gov/psb/assesspdfs.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Hanson, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, at (301) 713-2322, ext. 101, Anita Lopez (206) 526-
4045,

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regarding Alaska regional stock assessments; Janeen Quintal, (508) 495-
2252 regarding Northwest Atlantic regional stock assessments; Steven 
Swartz, (305) 361-4487, regarding Mid-Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico 
regional stock assessments; or Tim Price, (562) 980-4020, regarding 
Pacific regional stock assessments.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 117 of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et 
seq.) requires NMFS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to 
prepare stock assessment reports (SARs) for each stock of marine 
mammals that occurs in waters under the jurisdiction of the United 
States. These reports contain information regarding the distribution 
and abundance of the stock, population growth rates and trends, 
estimates of annual human-caused mortality from all sources, 
descriptions of the fisheries with which the stock interacts, and the 
status of the stock.
    The MMPA also requires NMFS and FWS to review these reports 
annually for strategic stocks of marine mammals and at least every 
three years for stocks determined to be non-strategic. NMFS, in 
conjunction with the Alaska, Atlantic, and Pacific Scientific Review 
Groups, reviewed the status of marine mammal stocks as required, and 
revised reports for which new information was available. Summary tables 
for all stocks of marine mammals in the three regions (Tables 1-3) 
indicate revisions to the reports. NMFS solicits public comments on 
these draft revised Alaska, Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, and Pacific 
reports.

Alaska Stocks

    NMFS, in conjunction with the Alaska Scientific Review Group, 
reviewed information available for all strategic stocks of Alaska 
marine mammals under its authority, as well as Pacific white-sided 
dolphins, harbor porpoise (3 stocks), Dall's porpoise, and gray whales 
for the 2000 Stock Assessment Reports. A total of 14 of the 32 Alaska 
stock assessment reports were revised for 2000. These reports are 
identified by a November 1, 1999, date-stamp at the beginning of each 
report.
    Most proposed changes to the stock assessment reports incorporate 
new information into mortality estimates. New Potential Biological 
Removal level (PBR) estimates have been calculated for those stocks 
having new abundance estimates. The new information on abundance and 
mortality did not change the status (strategic or not) of any of the 
Alaska stocks relative to the last time the respective stock assessment 
report was revised.
    As recommended by the Alaska Scientific Review Group (ASRG), NMFS 
proposes to change the recovery factor for the Cook Inlet stock of 
beluga whales. The proposed recovery factor for this stock would 
decrease from 0.5 to 0.3. The ASRG recommended a recovery factor of 0.1 
be incorporated into the draft 2000 report. However, three significant 
pieces of information have become available. First, the Alaska Natives 
in the Cook Inlet area are cooperating to control the harvest, and no 
beluga were killed for subsistence in 1999. Second, the 1999 surveys 
indicate that the decline of the stock has abated. Third, the first 
year of observer coverage reported no beluga taken in Cook Inlet 
fisheries, suggesting that mortality incidental to commercial fishing 
does not appear to be a significant factor affecting the Cook Inlet 
beluga stock. Therefore, NMFS intends to use a recovery factor of 0.3 
until additional information indicates that a revision is warranted.
    The proposed minimum population estimate for the North Pacific 
stock of Pacific white-sided dolphins was reduced from 486,719 animals 
to 26,880 animals, which would reduce the Potential Biological Removal 
level (PBR) from 4,867 animals to 269 animals. The minimum population 
estimate of 486,719 animals was based on an abundance estimate that 
reflected the range-wide estimate of Pacific white-sided dolphins, 
rather than one that could be applied just to the North Pacific stock. 
The full estimate is not considered appropriate to apply to the North 
Pacific management stock, but the portion of the estimate derived from 
sightings north of 45 deg.N in the Gulf of Alaska can be used as the 
population estimate for this stock, yielding the proposed minimum 
population estimate of 26,880 animals.

Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Stocks

    The draft 2000 Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Stock Assessment Reports 
were prepared by staff of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center and 
Southeast Fisheries Science Center. The reports were presented at the 
November 1999 meeting of the Atlantic Scientific Review Group, and 
subsequent revisions were based on the group's advice. The 2000 Stock 
Assessment Reports contain updated assessments for Atlantic strategic 
stocks and for Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico stocks for which new 
information was available. These reports are identified by a December 
1999 date-stamp at the beginning of each report.
    A total of 28 of the 60 Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico SARs were 
revised for 2000. Most of the proposed changes incorporate new 
information into sections on population size and mortality estimates. 
The revised reports include 15 strategic and 13 non-strategic stocks. 
For the first time, individual species abundance estimates are 
available for the Western North Atlantic stocks of Atlantic spotted and 
Pantropical spotted dolphins.
    Based on recent modeling that suggests that the population of the 
Western North Atlantic stock of Northern right whales is in decline, 
the maximum net productivity for this stock has been estimated as zero, 
and therefore PBR for this stock would be reduced to zero. This 
decrease would change the focus of the Atlantic Large Whale Take 
Reduction Team from concentrating on reducing to eliminating the 
incidental mortality and serious injury of right whales. Information on 
human interactions (fishery and ship strikes) between the right whale, 
humpback whale, fin whale, and minke whale stocks were reviewed and 
updated.
    The stock definition for humpback whales is proposed to be changed 
from the North Atlantic Stock to the Gulf of Maine stock, based on 
genetic analysis and the fidelity of whales to this region for feeding. 
Although the stock structure was revised, the abundance estimate is 
based on the entire North Atlantic aggregation of humpback whales. 
Existing data does not allow NMFS to separately estimate abundance for 
the Gulf of Maine feeding stock.
    The Western North Atlantic stock of long-finned pilot whales was 
changed to ``strategic'' based on the annual incidental mortality 
estimate.

Pacific Stocks

    The draft 2000 Stock Assessment Reports present a complete set of 
revised stock assessments for Pacific marine mammal stocks under NMFS 
jurisdiction. New abundance estimates are available and have been 
included for ten Hawaiian stocks and 25 U.S. West Coast stocks. The 
assessments in this report include stocks studied by the Southwest 
Fisheries Science Center and the National Marine Mammal Laboratory. The 
Pacific and Alaska Scientific Review Groups reviewed and commented on 
earlier versions of these draft stock assessment reports.
    Mortality estimates for the California drift gillnet fishery are 
based on data from 1997-98 because entanglement rates of marine mammals 
decreased after implementation of the Take Reduction Plan in 1997.
    The California/Oregon/Washington stock of short-finned pilot whales 
is proposed to be classified as not strategic. Including driftnet 
mortality

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only for years after implementation of the Take Reduction Plan (1997-
1998), the average annual human-caused mortality in 1997-1998 (3 
animals) is estimated to be less than the PBR, and therefore they would 
not be classified as strategic.
    The Central California stock of harbor porpoise is proposed to be 
classified as strategic because of increased mortality from the halibut 
set gillnet fishery. The average annual mortality for 1996-1998 is 
greater than the calculated PBR for Central California harbor porpoise. 
Based on the success of reducing harbor porpoise mortality in east 
coast fisheries, efforts are currently underway to encourage voluntary 
use of pingers in the central California set gillnet fishery. The 
observer program for this fishery is scheduled to be continued and will 
provide information on the success of any voluntary measures.
    The Hawaii stock of false killer whales is proposed to be listed as 
strategic because the rate of serious injury to false killer whales 
within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in the Hawaii longline fishery 
exceeds the PBR. However, the available abundance estimate, on which 
PBR is based, is based only on a portion of the species' range in 
Hawaiian waters. Additional studies of abundance, distribution, and 
fishery-related mortality would be required to re-evaluate this 
species' status in the future.
    The stock assessment report for the California/Oregon/Washington 
stock of dwarf sperm whale (Kogia simus) has been discontinued. The 
lack of reliable sighting or stranding records off the U.S. west coast 
since the 1970s suggests the stock does not occur in waters under U.S. 
jurisdiction on a regular basis.
    The stock of blue whale formerly known as the `California/Mexico 
stock' has been renamed the ``Eastern North Pacific stock'' to reflect 
current knowledge of whale movements between the U.S. west coast and 
the eastern tropical Pacific (Mate et al. 1999, Stafford et al. 1999).
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    Dated: May 15, 2000.
Art Jeffers,
Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-12579 Filed 5-17-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-C