[Federal Register: March 5, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 43)] [Notices] [Page 10936-10937] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr05mr98-94] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service Marine Mammals; Stock Assessment Reports AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability of draft revised marine mammal stock assessment reports for Alaska sea otter, walrus and polar bear; request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has developed draft revised marine mammals stock assessment reports for sea otter, polar bear and walrus in Alaska which are available for public review and comment. DATES: Comments must be received by June 3, 1998. ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft revised stock assessment reports are available from the (1) Office of Marine Mammals Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503; or (2) Division of Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Room 840-ARLSQ, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203. Copies of FWS's final stock assessment reports for the southern sea otter in California, the northern sea otter in [[Page 10937]] Washington State, and the Florida and Antillean stocks of West Indian manatees from the southeastern United States and Puerto Rico, respectively, are available from address (2) above. Comments on the draft revised stock assessment reports for Alaska species should be sent to Supervisor, Office of Marine Mammals Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Horwath in the FWS's Division of Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance, Arlington, Virginia at (703) 358-1718. For information specifically about sea otter, polar bears, and Pacific walrus in Alaska, contact David McGillivary at (907) 786-3800 or FAX: (907) 786- 3816. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 117 of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361- 1407) requires the FWS and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to prepare stock assessment reports for each marine mammal stock that occurs in waters under the jurisdiction of the United States. In late 1995, the FWS issued final stock assessment reports for marine mammals in Alaska as required, and announced their completion and public availability in a Federal Register notice on October 4, 1995 (60 FR 52008). These reports contained information regarding the distribution and abundance of the stocks, population growth rates and trends, estimates of human-caused mortality from all sources, descriptions of the fisheries with which the stocks interact, and the status of each stock. Section 117 of the MMPA also requires the FWS and the NMFS, consistent with any new information that indicates that the status of a stock has changed or can be more accurately determined, to revise these reports annually for strategic stocks of marine mammals and every three years for stocks determined to be none-strategic. In accordance with these statutory provisions, the FWS has reviewed all of the final stock assessment reports and determined that it would be appropriate at this time to revise the reports for the Alaska species in order to incorporate new information that was not available in 1995. Although the FWS has decided to revise these reports based on additional information, the status of the stocks has not changed. Table 1 in this notice summarizes the draft revised stock assessment reports. The table lists the stocks, their geographic range, regional designation, estimated abundance (N<INF>EST</INF>), minimum abundance estimate (N<INF>MIN</INF>), Potential Biological Removal level (PBR), maximum theoretical growth rate (R<INF>MAX</INF>), recovery factor (F<INF>R</INF>), annual estimated average human-caused mortality, and the status of the stock. Table 1.--Summary of Draft Stock Assessment Reports for Sea Otter, Polar Bear, and Pacific Walrus in Alaska ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mortality causes (5 yr average) Species Stock N<INF>EST N<INF>MIN R<INF>MAX F<INF>R PBR ---------------------------------------------- Stock status Subsistence Fishery Other ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sea otter........................... Southeast Alaska....... 8,807 8,709 0.20 1.00 871 376 0 Unk Non-strategic. Sea otter........................... Southcentral Alaska.... 22,867 20,948 0.20 1.00 2,095 312 <1 Unk Non-strategic. Sea otter........................... Southwest Alaska....... 68,212 65,761 0.20 0.86 5,659 99 <2 Unk Non-strategic. Polar bear.......................... Alaska Chukchi/Bering (\2\) (\2\) (\1\) 0.50 Unk 45 0 <10 Non-strategic. Seas. Polar bear.......................... Alaska Southern 1,801 1,599 0.06 1.00 72 55 0 <1 Non-strategic. Beaufort Sea. Pacific Walrus...................... Alaska................. 201,039 188,316 0.08 1.00 7,533 4,869 17 4 Non-strategic. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ \1\ Probably similar to Alaska Southern Beaufort Sea Stock. \2\ Not available. Dated: February 24, 1998. Robyn Thorson, Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [FR Doc. 98-5701 Filed 3-4-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-01-M