§1414a Research

Summary

The Secretary must study how intentionally surrounding and chasing dolphins during purse seine fishing for yellowfin tuna in the eastern tropical Pacific affects dolphins and any depleted dolphin stocks. The study starts on October 1, 1997, and has two parts: surveys of how many dolphins there are and stress studies. The surveys must be done in the calendar years 1998, 1999, and 2000. The stress studies must include a review of stress research plus three years of necropsy samples from dolphins taken by commercial vessels, a one-year look at past demographic and biological data, and an experiment that repeatedly chases and captures dolphins by intentional encirclement. The study must determine whether this encirclement is causing a significant adverse impact on any depleted dolphin stock. The Secretary must consult with the Marine Mammal Commission and the Inter‑American Tropical Tuna Commission, and must finish and send a report of the results to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the U.S. House Committees on Resources and Commerce, and the Inter‑American Tropical Tuna Commission no later than 90 days after the finding required under subsection (g)(2) of section 1385 is published. The Secretary must also work with the Marine Mammal Commission and with nations in the International Dolphin Conservation Program and the Inter‑American Tropical Tuna Commission to fund or do other research that supports that program’s goals. This can include projects to create cheaper fishing methods and gear to reduce or eliminate accidental marine mammal deaths and serious injuries; ways to catch mature yellowfin without setting nets on dolphins; stock assessments for marine mammals taken in the fishery (including outside U.S. waters); and studies of how often and where non‑target species, including juvenile tuna, are taken and what effect that has. The law authorizes these appropriations: $4,000,000 for fiscal year 1998, $3,000,000 for fiscal year 1999, $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2000, and $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2001 for the research in the first part; and an additional $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001 to carry out the section.