LIST OF FIGURES

Page
1.[Southeast Alaska, Alexander Archipelago] 4
2.[Glacier Bay, Alaska] 5
3.[Glacier Bay, Alaska showing former positions of termini 1760-1966] 6
4.[Commercial fishing vessel visits to Glacier Bay] 17
5.[Commercial fishing activity Glacier Bay] 18
6.[Fishing charter boats and private boat visits to Glacier Bay 1970-1977] 19

PREFACE

In 1976, the National Park Service initiated a study to determine whether increased boat traffic or boating activities were having an adverse impact on humpback whales inhabiting Glacier Bay National Monument during the summer months. In 1978, the whales entered the Bay as usual, but left sooner than expected. The scientists conducting the whale studies believed that the early departure of the whales was precipitated by increased boat traffic in the Bay and, in 1979, the Park Service, in consultation with the cruise ship industry, developed and implemented operational guidelines for vessel course and speed in designated areas, where it was felt that vessel interactions with incoming whales could cause the most disturbance.

Researchers spent many hours looking for whales in the Bay during the early part of the 1979 summer season, but few whales were seen. Several interactions between vessels and those whales present in the Bay were observed and, on one occasion, a whale known to have had an interaction with a vessel left the Bay. Monument personnel discussed the problem with the area office of the National Park Service. A number of options, including emergency closure of the Bay were considered. It was decided to provide funds for a more thorough analysis of the available information on whale/vessel interactions, and to consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.

The NMFS was advised of the situation and, on 10 August 1979, NPS and NMFS representatives met in Seattle, Washington to review available information concerning the nature and possible causes of the departure of whales from the Bay. Another meeting was held in late August to discuss the problem with members of the cruise ship industry. It was agreed that additional research was needed to better define the nature and possible causes of the problem and that a meeting should be held to discuss possible research approaches with other professionals in the marine mammal field. These decisions led to the meeting described in this report.

Subsequent to the meeting reported here, the National Marine Fisheries Service in a letter dated December 3, 1979, responded to the National Park Service's request for a Section 7 consultation. A copy of the NMFS's response is provided in [Appendix D] of this report.