Marine Mammals; Gray Whale Research and Monitoring Plan

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 040594D]

Marine Mammals; Gray Whale Research and Monitoring Plan

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of report availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: On January 7, 1993, NMFS made a determination that the eastern

North Pacific (California) stock of gray whale (Eschrictius robustus)

had recovered and should be removed from the List of Endangered and

Threatened Wildlife (List) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Section 4(g) requires NMFS to implement a system to monitor the status,

for at least 5 years, of any species that has recovered and is removed

from the List. This notice announces the availability of the draft Gray

Whale Research and Monitoring Plan (Plan), that was prepared under

section 4(g) of the ESA, for review and comment.

DATES: Comments on the Plan must be postmarked by August 2, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on the Plan to William W. Fox, Jr., Director,

Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1335

East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226. A copy of the Plan is

available from this address or by telephoning the individual listed

below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth R. Hollingshead, Office of

Protected Resources, 301/713-2055.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

NMFS issued a proposed determination on November 22, 1991 (56 FR

58869) that the California population of gray whales should be removed

from the List. After a 104-day comment period, NMFS issued a final

determination on January 7, 1993 (58 FR 3121).

Under section 4(a) of the ESA, NMFS has the responsibility to

monitor the status of the California gray whale for a period of at

least 5 years following delisting. The purpose of monitoring

populations following delisting is to evaluate the validity of the

status determination used in the delisting process and to determine

whether the status of the population has deteriorated within a 5-year

period subsequent to delisting. If at any time during this period NMFS

finds that the species' well-being is at risk, the ESA (section

4(b)(7)) requires NMFS to issue emergency protective regulations to

ensure the conservation of the species.

NMFS is making available for comment its proposed Plan. The Plan

was developed by the staff of the National Marine Mammal Laboratory in

coordination with the NMFS Gray Whale Monitoring Task Group, which is

composed of scientists and managers who have specific responsibilities

for coordinating activities involving gray whales. The Task Group was

asked to develop a plan, monitor research activities after the plan is

implemented, and also to serve as a quick response advisory team in the

event of any catastrophic event affecting gray whales.

The following research is recommended for the first 5-year

monitoring plan, in order of priority:

(1) Estimation of abundance from biennial surveys (or other

appropriate sampling period) during the southbound migration;

(2) Estimation of calf production during the northbound migration;

(3) Determination of potential biases in methods used to estimate

abundance and calf production;

(4) Determination of trends in pregnancy rates from animals taken

in any subsistence harvests that may be conducted by Russia on behalf

of its natives in Siberian Arctic;

(5) Estimation of the number of animals killed in any subsistence

harvests that may be conducted by Russia on behalf of its natives in

Siberian Arctic;

(6) Use of Bayesian synthesis to evaluate current status of the

population;

(7) Determination of the degree to which anthropogenic factors

(e.g., chemical contaminants, marine noise) may compromise the

viability of this population (including its habitat).

Dated: May 25, 1994.

William W. Fox, Jr.,

Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries

Service.

[FR Doc. 94-13499 Filed 6-2-94; 8:45 am]

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