Stock assessments

• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-13 (published on www.congress.gov on 08/07/2023)

(a) In general

Not later than August 1, 1994, the Secretary shall, in consultation with the appropriate regional scientific review group established under subsection (d), prepare a draft stock assessment for each marine mammal stock which occurs in waters under the jurisdiction of the United States. Each draft stock assessment, based on the best scientific information available, shall-

(1) describe the geographic range of the affected stock, including any seasonal or temporal variation in such range;

(2) provide for such stock the minimum population estimate, current and maximum net productivity rates, and current population trend, including a description of the information upon which these are based;

(3) estimate the annual human-caused mortality and serious injury of the stock by source and, for a strategic stock, other factors that may be causing a decline or impeding recovery of the stock, including effects on marine mammal habitat and prey;

(4) describe commercial fisheries that interact with the stock, including-

(A) the approximate number of vessels actively participating in each such fishery;

(B) the estimated level of incidental mortality and serious injury of the stock by each such fishery on an annual basis;

(C) seasonal or area differences in such incidental mortality or serious injury; and

(D) the rate, based on the appropriate standard unit of fishing effort, of such incidental mortality and serious injury, and an analysis stating whether such level is insignificant and is approaching a zero mortality and serious injury rate;

(5) categorize the status of the stock as one that either-

(A) has a level of human-caused mortality and serious injury that is not likely to cause the stock to be reduced below its optimum sustainable population; or

(B) is a strategic stock, with a description of the reasons therefor; and

(6) estimate the potential biological removal level for the stock, describing the information used to calculate it, including the recovery factor.

(b) Public comment

(1) The Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a notice of the availability of a draft stock assessment or any revision thereof and provide an opportunity for public review and comment during a period of 90 days. Such notice shall include a summary of the assessment and a list of the sources of information or published reports upon which the assessment is based.

(2) Subsequent to the notice of availability required under paragraph (1), if requested by a person to which section 1371(b) of this title applies, the Secretary shall conduct a proceeding on the record prior to publishing a final stock assessment or any revision thereof for any stock subject to taking under section 1371(b) of this title.