[Federal Register: October 6, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 193)]
[Notices]               
[Page 54275-54276]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06oc99-47]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 051299C]

 
Marine Mammals; Gray Whale Research and Monitoring

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

ACTION: Notice of report availability.

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SUMMARY: NMFS conducted a review of the status of the Eastern North 
Pacific stock of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), sometimes 
referred to as the ``California'' stock, at a workshop held by the 
National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML) in Seattle, Washington, on 
March 16-17, 1999. Based on the continued growth of this population 
(rising at 2.5 percent annually; currently at an estimated 26,600 
individuals), and the lack of evidence of any imminent threats to the 
stock, workshop participants agreed to continue this stock's 
classification as non-threatened. They also concluded that abundance 
monitoring should continue at some level and that, ideally, research 
should continue on human impacts to critical habitats. This stock's 
annual migrations along the highly populated coastline of the western 
United States and their concentration in limited winter and summer 
areas may make them particularly vulnerable to impacts from commercial 
or industrial development or local catastrophic events. The Western 
North Pacific (``Korean'') gray whale stock has not recovered and 
should continue to be listed as endangered.

    This workshop and status review conclude the 5-year assessment of 
the Eastern North Pacific gray whale stock following its June 16, 1994, 
removal from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants 
(List). Since completion of the status review, the increased gray whale 
stranding rate has continued. NMFS is currently investigating these 
mortalities independent of the already concluded status review process 
and will issue a report in 2000.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the Status Review is available by writing to Donna 
Wieting, Acting Chief, Marine Mammal Conservation Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Hwy, Silver Spring MD 20910-
3282 or by telephoning the individual listed (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth R. Hollingshead, NMFS, 301-
713-2055.