[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3005-3010]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1312]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 010897D]
Marine Mammals
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 marine mammal stock assessment reports
and the guidelines upon which the reports were based in accordance with
the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Draft revised reports are
available for public review and comment. Copies of the revised
guidelines are also available for review.
DATES: Comments must be received by April 21, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Send comments and requests for copies of reports or
guidelines 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas C. Eagle, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, at (301) 713-2322; Douglas P. DeMaster at (206) 526-
4045, Alaska Fisheries Science Center (F/AKC), NMFS, 7600 Sand Point
Way, NE, BIN 15700, Seattle, WA 98115-0070 regarding Alaska regional
stock assessments; James Lecky at (310) 980-4020, Southwest Regional
Office (F/SWO3), NMFS, 501 West Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, CA 90802-
4213, regarding Pacific regional stock assessments; or Gordon Waring at
(508) 495-2311, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NMFS, 166 Water
Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543-1097 for Atlantic regional stock
assessments.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 117 of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et
seq.) required NMFS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to
prepare stock assessments 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.
NMFS convened a workshop in April 1996 to evaluate the guidelines
upon which stock assessment reports were based and to revise the
guidelines as needed. The workshop results indicated that substantive
changes to the guidelines were not required; however, several
provisions were clarified, primarily to ensure that default values for
various parameters were interpreted correctly.
The MMPA also requires NMFS and FWS to update these reports
annually for strategic stocks of marine mammals and every 3 years for
stocks determined to be non-strategic consistent with any new
information. NMFS has revised those reports for which new information
is available. Table 1 contains a summary of the information included in
the reports. NMFS solicits public comments on the draft revised
reports.
Most proposed changes to the stock assessment reports incorporate
new information into abundance or mortality estimates. Stock structure
was also reexamined, which resulted in revised stock identification for
killer whales in the Alaska and Pacific regions and for harbor porpoise
in Alaska; none of these stocks is designated as strategic.
Three stocks were identified as special subsistence stocks in the
initial stock assessment reports; these included harbor seals in the
Gulf of Alaska and beluga whales in Cook Inlet and Norton Sound. After
examining new information, and in accordance with advice from the
Alaska Scientific Review Group, NMFS proposes to revise these reports
to present the full information required under the MMPA. Two of the
stocks, Gulf of Alaska harbor seals and Cook Inlet beluga would be
identified as strategic stocks because total human-caused mortality
exceeds the calculated Potential Biological Removal level (PBR). Norton
Sound beluga would be identified as non-strategic. Any management
actions concerning these or any other stock that is used for
subsistence purposes would be addressed through a co-management process
as indicated by section 119 of the MMPA.
New abundance estimates for beaked whales in the Pacific Ocean,
which included a recently developed correction factor for animals not
seen on the track line, allowed NMFS to determine that human-caused
mortality and serious injury of these stocks did not exceed PBR;
therefore, these stocks have been designated as nonstrategic.
Uncertainty in field identification of these stocks does not allow
either mortality or abundance estimates to be
[[Page 3006]]
identified to species in all cases, and estimates for these stocks
continue to be combined.
New information may become available during the comment period for
these stock assessment reports; NMFS anticipates completion of a status
review of North Atlantic right whales in the near future. This new
information may be incorporated into final stock assessment reports
without additional public review and comment if incorporation of the
new information does not change the status of the affected stock (e.g.,
strategic to non-strategic).
Dated: January 13, 1997.
Ann Terbush,
Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
Table 1.--Summary of Marine Mammal Stock Assessment Reports for Stocks of Marine Mammals Under NMFS Authority That Occupy Waters Under U.S. Jurisdiction
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Annual
Species Stock area SRG region NMFS center Nmin Rmax Fr PBR annual fish. Strategic
mort. mort. status
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steller sea lion............. Western U.S..... AKA AKC 42,536 0.12 0.3 766 518 38 Y
Steller sea lion............. Eastern......... AKA AKC 23,533 0.12 0.75 1,059 9 4 Y
Northern fur seal............ North Pacific... AKA AKC 969,595 0.086 0.5 20,846 1,731 18 Y
Harbor seal.................. Southeast Alaska AKA AKC 35,226 0.12 1.0 2,114 1,630 34 N
Harbor seal.................. Gulf of Alaska.. AKA AKC 22,427 0.12 0.5 673 966 35 Y
Harbor seal.................. Bering Sea...... AKA AKC 12,648 0.12 0.5 379 242 30 N
Spotted seal................. Alaska.......... AKA AKC N/A\1\ 0.12 0.5 N/A N/A 2 N
Bearded seal................. Alaska.......... AKA AKC N/A 0.12 0.5 N/A N/A 2 N
Ringed seal.................. Alaska.......... AKA AKC N/A 0.12 0.5 N/A N/A 1 N
Ribbon seal.................. Alaska.......... AKA AKC N/A 0.12 0.5 N/A N/A 1 N
Beluga..................... Beaufort Sea.... AKA AKC 39,039 0.04 1.0 781 168 0 N
Beluga..................... Eastern Chukchi AKA AKC 3,710 0.04 1.0 74 63 0 N
Sea.
Beluga..................... Norton Sound.... AKA AKC 6,439 0.04 1.0 129 109 0 N
Beluga..................... Bristol Bay..... AKA AKC 1,526 0.04 1.0 31 21 1 N
Beluga..................... Cook Inlet...... AKA AKC 981 0.04 1.0 20 40 0 Y
Killer whale................. Eastern North AKA AKC 764 0.04 0.5 7.6 1.2 1.2 N
Pacific,
Northern
Resident.
Killer whale................. Eastern North AKA AKC 314 0.04 0.5 3.1 1.2 1.2 N
Pacific,
Transient.
Pacific white-sided dolphin.. North Pacific... AKA AKC 486,719 0.04 0.5 4,867 2 2 N
Harbor porpoise.............. Southeast Alaska AKA AKC 8,156 0.04 0.5 82 4 4 N
Harbor porpoise.............. Gulf of Alaska.. AKA AKC 7,085 0.04 0.5 71 27 27 N
Harbor porpoise.............. Bering Sea...... AKA AKC 8,549 0.04 0.5 86 2 2 N
Dall's porpoise.............. Alaska.......... AKA AKC 76,874 0.04 1.0 1,537 42 42 N
Sperm whale.................. Alaska.......... AKA AKC N/A 0.04 0.1 N/A 0.0 0.0 Y
Baird's beaked whale......... Alaska.......... AKA AKC N/A 0.04 0.5 N/A 0.0 0.0 N
Cuvier's beaked whale........ Alaska.......... AKA AKC N/A 0.04 0.5 N/A 0.0 0.0 N
Stejnerger's beaked whale.... Alaska.......... AKA AKC N/A 0.04 0.5 N/A 0.0 0.0 N
Gray whale................... Eastern North AKA AKC 21,597 0.04 1.0 432 47 3 N
Pacific.
Humpback whale............... Western North AKA AKC N/A 0.04 0.1 N/A 0.0 0.0 Y
Pacific.
Humpback whale............... Central North AKA AKC 1,407 0.04 0.1 2.8 1.6 1.6 Y
Pacific.
Fin whale.................... N. Pacifc....... AKA AKC N/A 0.04 0.1 N/A 0.0 0.0 Y
Minke whale.................. Alaska.......... AKA AKC N/A 0.04 0.5 N/A 0.0 0.0 N
Northern right whale......... North Pacific... AKA AKC N/A 0.04 0.1 N/A 0.0 0.0 Y
Bowhead whale................ Western Arctic.. AKA AKC 7,738 0.04 0.5 77\2\ 51 0.0 Y
Harbor seal.................. Western North ATL NEC 28,810 0.12 1.0 1,729 476 476 N
Atlantic.
Gray seal.................... Northwest North ATL NEC 2,035 0.12 1.0 122 4.5 4.5 N
Atlantic.
Harp seal.................... Northwest North ATL NEC N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.0 0.0 N
Atlantic.
Hooded seal.................. Northwest North ATL NEC N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.0 0.0 N
Atlantic.
Harbor porpoise.............. Gulf of Maine/ ATL NEC 48,289 0.04 0.5 483 1,834 1,834 Y
Bay of Fundy.
Risso's dolphin.............. Western North ATL NEC 11,140 0.04 0.5 111 68 68 N
Atlantic.
Atlantic white-sided dolphin. Western North ATL NEC 19,196 0.04 0.5 192 181 181 N
Atlantic.
[[Page 3007]]
White-beaked dolphin......... Western North ATL NEC N/A 0.04 N/A N/A 0.0 0.0 N
Atlantic.
Common dolphin............... Western North ATL NEC 3,996 0.04 0.5 40 234 234 Y
Atlantic.
Atlantic spotted dolphin..... Western North ATL NEC \3\ 1,61 0.04 0.5 16 \3\ 22 \3\ 22 Y
Atlantic. 7
Pantropical spotted dolphin.. Western North ATL NEC \3\ 1.61 0.04 0.5 16 \3\ 22 \3\ 22 Y
Atlantic. 7
Striped dolphin.............. Western North ATL NEC 18,220 0.04 0.45 164 47 47 N
Atlantic.
Spinner dolphin.............. Western North ATL NEC N/A N/A N/A N/A 1.0 1.0 N
Atlantic.
Bottlenose dolphin........... Western North ATL NEC \4\ 8,79 0.04 0.5 88 82 82 N
Atlantic, 4
offshore.
Bottlenose dolphin........... Western North ATL SEC 2,482 0.04 0.5 25 29 29 Y
Atlantic,
coastal.
Dwarf sperm whale............ Western North ATL NEC N/A 0.04 N/A N/A 0.2 0.2 Y
Atlantic.
Pygmy sperm whale............ Western North ATL NEC N/A 0.04 N/A N/A N/A N/A Y
Atlantic.
Killer whale................. Western North ATL NEC N/A 0.04 N/A N/A 0.0 0.0 N
Atlantic.
Pygmy killer whale........... Western North ATL SEC 6 0.04 0.5 0.1 0.0 0.0 N
Atlantic.
Northern bottlenose whale.... Western North ATL NEC N/A 0.04 N/A N/A 0.0 0.0 N
Atlantic.
Cuvier's beaked whale........ Western North ATL NEC \6\ 895 0.04 0.5 8.9 9.7 \6\ 9.7 Y
Atlantic.
Nesopldont beaked whale...... Western North ATL NEC \5\ 895 0.04 0.5 8.9 9.7 \6\ 9.7 Y
Atlantic.
Pilot whale, long-finned Western North ATL NEC \7\ 4,96 0.04 0.5 50 42 \8\ 42 Y
(Globiephala spp.). Atlantic. 8
Pilot whale, short-finned.... Western North ATL NEC 457 0.04 0.5 3.7 42 \8\ 42 Y
Atlantic.
Sperm whale.................. Western North ATL NEC 1,617 0.04 0.1 3.2 0.2 0.2 Y
Atlantic.
North Atlantic right whale... Western North ATL NEC 295 0.025 0.1 0.4 2.7 0.4 Y
Atlantic.
Humpback whale............... Western North ATL NEC 4,884 0.04 0.1 9.7 0.7 0.7 Y
Atlantic.
Fin whale.................... Western North ATL NEC 1,704 0.04 0.1 3.4 0.0 0.0 Y
Atlantic.
Sei whale.................... Western North ATL NEC N/A 0.04 0.1 N/A 0.0 0.0 Y
Atlantic.
Minke whale.................. Canadian east ATL NEC 2,053 0.04 0.5 21 2.5 2.5 N
coast.
Blue whale................... Western North ATL NEC N/A 0.04 0.1 N/A 0.0 0.0 Y
Atlantic.
Bottlenose dolphin........... Gulf of Mexico, ATL SEC 43,233 0.04 0.5 432 2.8 \9\2.8 N
outer
continental
shelf.
Bottlenose dolphin........... Gulf of Mexico, ATL SEC 4,530 0.04 0.5 45 2.8 \9\2.8 N
continental
shelf edge and
slope.
Bottlenose dolphin........... Western Gulf of ATL SEC 2,938 0.04 0.5 29 13 \10\,\11 N
Mexico coastal. \ 13
Bottlenose dolphin........... Northern Gulf of ATL SEC 3,518 0.04 0.5 35 10 \11\10 N
Mexico coastal.
Bottlenose dolphin........... Eastern Gulf of ATL SEC 8,963 0.04 0.5 90 8 \11\8 N
Mexico coastal.
Bottlenose dolphin........... Eastern Gulf of ATL SEC 3,934 0.04 0.5 39.7 30 \11\30 Y
Mexico bay,
sound, and
estuarine\12\.
Atlantic spotted dolphin..... Northern Gulf of ATL SEC 2,255 0.04 0.5 23 \3\1.5 \3\1.5 N
Mexico.
[[Page 3008]]
Pantropical spotted dolphin.. Northern Gulf of ATL SEC 26,510 0.04 0.5 265 \3\1.5 \3\1.5 N
Mexico.
Striped dolphin.............. Northern Gulf of ATL SEC 3,409 0.04 0.5 34 0.0 0.0 N
Mexico.
Spinner dolphin.............. Northern Gulf of ATL SEC 4,465 0.04 0.5 45 0.0 0.0 N
Mexico.
Rough-toothed dolphin........ Northern Gulf of ATL SEC 660 0.04 0.5 6.6 0.0 0.0 N
Mexico.
Clymene dolphin.............. Northern Gulf of ATL SEC 4,120 0.04 0.5 41 0.0 0.0 N
Mexico.
Fraser's dolphin............. Northern Gulf of ATL SEC 66 0.04 0.5 0.7 0.0 0.0 N
Mexico.
Killer whale................. Northern Gulf of ATL SEC 197 0.04 0.5 2.0 0.0 0.0 N
Mexico.
False killer whale........... Northern Gulf of ATL SEC 236 0.04 0.5 2.4 0.0 0.0 N
Mexico.
Pygmy killer whale........... Northern Gulf of ATL NEC 285 0.04 0.05 2.8 0.0 0.0 N
Mexico.
Dwarf sperm whale............ Northern Gulf of ATL SEC N/A 0.04 N/A N/A 0.0 0.0 Y
MExico.
Pygmy sperm whale............ Northern Gulf of ATL NEC N/A 0.04 N/A N/A 0.0 0.0 Y
Mexico.
Melon-headed whale........... Northern Gulf of ATL SEC 2,888 0.04 0.5 29 0.0 0.0 N
Mexico.
Risso's dolphin.............. Northern Gulf of ATL SEC 2,199 0.04 0.5 22 19 19 N
Mexico.
Cuvier's beaked whale........ Northern Gulf of ATL SEC 20 0.04 0.5 0.2 0.0 0.0 N
Mexico.
Blainville's beaked whale.... Northern Gulf of ATL SEC N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.0 0.0 N
Mexico.
Gervais' beaked whale........ Northern Gulf of ATL SEC N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.0 0.0 N
Mexico.
Pilot whale, short-finned.... Northern Gulf of ATL SEC 186 0.04 0.5 1.9 0.3 0.3 Y
Mexico.
Sperm whale.................. Northern Gulf of ATL SEC 411 0.04 0.1 0.8 0.0 0.0 Y
Mexico.
Bryde's whale................ Northern Gulf of ATL SEC 17 0.04 0.5 0.2 0.0 0.0 N
Mexico.
California sea lion.......... U.S............. PAC SWC 106,825 0.12 1.0 6,410 1,294 1,242 N
Guadalupe fur seal........... Mexico to PAC SWC 3,028 0.137 0.5 104 0.0 0.0 Y
California.
Northern fur seal............ San Miguel PAC AKC 5,018 0.086 1.0 216 1 1 N
Island.
Habor seal................... California...... PAC SWC 27,962 0.12 1.0 1,678 325 316 N
Habor seal................... Oregon/ PAC AKC 25,665 0.12 1.0 1,540 15 15 N
Washington.
Habor seal................... Washington PAC AKC 15,349 0.12 1.0 921 36 36 N
inland waters.
Northern elephant breeding... California PAC SWC 48,000 0.083 1.0 1,992 151 151 N
breeding.
Hawaiian monk seal........... Hawaii.......... PAC SWC 1,366 0.07 0.1 \13\ 4.8 N/A N/A Y
Habor porpoise............... Central PAC SWC 3,431 0.04 0.48 33 14 14 N
California.
Habor porpoise............... Northern PAC SWC 7,640 0.04 0.5 76 0.0 0.0 N
California.
Habor porpoise............... Oregon/ PAC AKC 22,046 0.04 0.5 220 13 13 N
Washington
coast.
Dall's porpoise.............. California/ PAC SWC 34,393 0.04 0.48 330 28 28 N
Oregon/
Washington.
Pacific white-sided dolphin.. California/ PAC SWC 82,939 0.04 0.48 796 13 13 N
Oregon/
Washington.
Risso's dolphin.............. California/ PAC SWC 22,388 0.04 0.48 215 32 32 N
Oregon/
Washington.
Bottlenose dolphin........... California PAC SWC 121 0.04 0.5 1.2 0.0 0.0 N
coastal.
Bottlenose dolphin........... California/ PAC SWC 1,904 0.04 0.5 19 0.0 0.0 N
Oregon/
Washington
offshore.
Striped dolphin.............. California/ PAC SWC 19,248 0.04 0.4 154 2.0 2.0 N
Oregon/
Washington.
Common dolphin, short-beaked. California/ PAC SWC 309,717 0.04 0.5 3,097 183 183 N
Oregon/
Washington.
[[Page 3009]]
Common dolphin, long-beaked.. California...... PAC SWC 5,504 0.04 0.48 53 15 15 N
Northern right whale dolphin. California/ PAC SWC 15,080 0.04 0.5 151 50 50 N
Oregon/
Washington.
Killer whale................. Southern PAC AKC 96 0.04 1.0 1.9 0.0 0.0 N
Resident Stock.
Killer whale................. California/ PAC SWC 436 0.04 0.4 3.5 2.0 2.0 N
Oregon/
Washington.
Pilot whale, short-finned.... California/ PAC SWC 741 0.04 0.48 7.1 20 20 Y
Oregon/
Washington.
Baird's beaked whale......... California/ PAC SWC 252 0.04 0.4 2.02 2.00 2.00 N
Oregon/
Washington.
Mesoplodont beaked whales.... California/ PAC SWC \14\ 1,1 0.04 0.48 \15\11 5.7-7.7 5.7-7.7 N
Oregon/ 69
Washington.
Cuvier's beaked whale........ California/ PAC SWC 6,070 0.04 0.5 61 29 29 N
Oregon/
Washington.
Pygmy sperm whale............ California/ PAC SWC 2,059 0.04 0.4 16 2.3 2.3 N
Oregon/
Washington.
Dwarf sperm whale............ California/ PAC SWC N/A 0.04 0.5 N/A 0.0 0.0 N
Oregon/
Washington.
Sperm whale.................. California to PAC SWC 896 0.04 0.1 1.8 5 5 Y
Washington.
Humpback whale............... California/ PAC SWC 563 0.04 0.1 0.5 1.0 0.0 Y
Mexico.
Blue whale................... California/ PAC SWC 1,463 0.04 0.1 1.5 <1 0.0="" y="" mexico.="" fin="" whale....................="" california="" to="" pac="" swc="" 747="" 0.04="" 0.1="" 1.5=""><1 0.0="" y="" washington.="" bryde's="" whale................="" eastern="" tropical="" pac="" swc="" 11,163="" 0.04="" 0.5="" \16\="" 0.2="" n/a="" 0.0="" n="" pacific.="" sei="" whale....................="" eastern="" north="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.1="" n/a="" n/a="" 0.0="" y="" pacific.="" minke="" whale..................="" california/="" pac="" swc="" 122="" 0.04="" 0.4="" 1.0="" 2.0="" 2.0="" y="" oregon/="" washington.="" rough-toothed="" dolphin........="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.5="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" n="" risso's="" dolphin..............="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.5="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" n="" bottlenose="" dolphin...........="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.5="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" n="" pantropical="" spotted="" dolphin..="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.5="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" n="" spinner="" dolphin..............="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" 677="" 0.04="" 0.5="" 6.8="" n/a="" n/a="" n="" striped="" dolphin..............="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.5="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" n="" melon-headed="" whale...........="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.5="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" n="" pygmy="" killer="" whale...........="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.5="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" n="" false="" killer="" whale...........="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.5="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" n="" killer="" whale.................="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.5="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" n="" pilot="" whale,="" short-finned....="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.5="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" n="" blainville's="" beaked="" whale....="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.5="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" n="" cuvier's="" beaked="" whale........="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.5="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" n="" pygmy="" sperm="" whale............="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.5="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" n="" dwarf="" sperm="" whale............="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.5="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" n="" sperm="" whale..................="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.1="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" y="" blue="" whale...................="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.1="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" y="" fin="" whale....................="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.1="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" y="" bryde's="" whale................="" hawaii..........="" pac="" swc="" n/a="" 0.04="" 0.5="" n/a="" n/a="" n/a="" n="" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------="" \1\="" n/a="" means="" that="" an="" estimate="" for="" the="" affected="" value="" is="" not="" available.="" \2\="" the="" iwc="" subsistence="" quota="" is="" not="" affected="" by="" the="" calculation="" of="" pbr="" using="" the="" formula="" specified="" in="" the="" mmpa.="" \3\="" this="" value="" includes="" either="" or="" both="" of="" stenella="" frontalis="" or="" stenella="" attenuata.="" \4\="" estimates="" may="" include="" sightings="" of="" the="" coastal="" form.="" \5\="" this="" estimate="" includes="" cuvier's="" beaked="" whales="" and="" mesoplodont="" beaked="" whales.="" \6\="" this="" is="" the="" average="" mortality="" of="" beaked="" whales="" (mesoplodon="" sp.)="" based="" on="" 5="" years="" of="" observer="" data.="" this="" annual="" mortality="" rate="" includes="" an="" unknown="" number="" of="" cuvier's="" beaked="" whales.="" \7\="" this="" estimate="" includes="" both="" long-finned="" and="" short-finned="" pilot="" whales.="" \8\="" mortality="" data="" are="" not="" separated="" by="" species;="" therefore,="" species-specific="" estimates="" are="" not="" available.="" the="" mortality="" estimate="" represents="" both="" short-="" and="" long-finned="" pilot="" whales.="" \9\="" this="" value="" may="" include="" either="" or="" both="" of="" the="" gulf="" of="" mexico,="" continental="" shelf="" edge="" and="" slope="" and="" the="" outer="" continental="" shelf="" stocks="" of="" bottlenose="" dolphins.="" [[page="" 3010]]="" \10\="" low="" levels="" of="" bottlenose="" dolphin="" mortality="" (0-4="" per="" year)="" incidental="" to="" commercial="" fisheries="" have="" been="" reported.="" it="" is="" unknown="" to="" which="" stock="" this="" mortality="" can="" be="" attributed.="" \11\="" estimates="" derived="" from="" stranded="" animals="" with="" signs="" of="" fishery="" interactions,="" and="" these="" could="" be="" either="" coastal="" or="" estuary="" stocks.="" \12\="" this="" entry="" encompasses="" 33="" stocks="" of="" bottlenose="" dolphins.="" all="" stocks="" are="" considered="" strategic;="" see="" the="" full="" report="" for="" information="" on="" individual="" stocks.="" the="" listed="" estimates="" for="" abundance,="" pbr="" and="" mortality="" are="" sums="" across="" all="" bays,="" sounds,="" and="" estuaries.="" \13\="" although="" the="" calculated="" pbr="" is="" 5.0,="" the="" allowable="" take="" is="" zero="" due="" to="" findings="" under="" the="" esa.="" \14\="" this="" value="" includes="" a="" species-specific="" minimum="" abundance="" estimate="" of="" 249="" blainville's="" beaked="" whales,="" mesoplodon="" densirostris.="" \15\="" this="" pbr="" includes="" 2.5="" blainville's="" beaked="" whales.="" \16\="" this="" pbr="" has="" been="" adjusted="" because="" only="" 0.2%="" of="" this="" stock="" is="" estimated="" to="" be="" in="" u.s.="" waters.="" -----------------------------------------------------------------------="" department="" of="" commerce="" [fr="" doc.="" 97-1312="" filed="" 1-17-97;="" 8:45="" am]="" billing="" code="" 3510-25-p="">