Contingency Plan for Hawaiian Monk Seal Unusual Mortality Events

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independence (Antonelis et al., 2001). High juvenile mortality was also observed in 2002
(NMFS unpublished data).
1.5 Background of this Document
The first attempt to develop a response plan for UMEs in Hawaiian monk seals is
presented by Gilmartin (1987). The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has
published a National Contingency Plan for responding to unusual marine mammal
mortality events (Wilkinson, 1996). The WGUMMME recommended that a separate
plan, consistent with the national plan and other relevant documents such as the Hawaii
Area Oil Spill Contingency Plan, be prepared for Hawaiian monk seals because of their
endangered status and the logistic difficulties associated with the remoteness of most of
their colonies. A separate plan was prepared for manatees by Geraci and Lounsbury
(1997), and the Hawaiian monk seal contingency plan follows the manatee format.
2. Federal/State Authority and Jurisdiction
The Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Act was passed by the U.S.
Congress in 1992 (P.L. 102-587, 16 U.S.C. 1421 [c-d]), and it became Title IV of the
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Section 404 of MMPA Title 4 (P.L. 103-238,
§24(b)(1)) established a framework for responding to Marine Mammal UMEs, described
in detail in the National Contingency Plan for Response to Unusual Marine Mammal
Mortality Events (Wilkinson, 1996). The response sequence is outlined below and is
presented as a flowchart in Appendix I-1.
• An increase in stranding rates or unusual findings is detected through one of three
likely mechanisms:
o NMFS Regional Stranding Coordinator (Pacific Islands Regional Office,
PIRO) detects increased strandings or unusual findings upon reviewing
Level A data and consulting with the Stranding Network;
o Stranding Network directly notifies the NMFS Regional Stranding
Coordinator (PIRO) of an increase in strandings or unusual findings;
o Monk Seal Research Leader observes an increase in strandings or unusual
finding and notifies the Leader of the Pacific Island Fisheries Science
Center’s Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP).
• The NMFS Regional Stranding Coordinator (PIRO) or the Leader of MMRP will
contact the Executive Secretary for the WGUMMME (NMFS Headquarters), pass
on the information, and request a consultation with the WGUMMME.
• The Executive Secretary for the WGUMMME will formally request a
consultation and forward a complete summary of the event in question and a
historical record of stranding data to the WGUMMME.