Sirenews (ISSN 1017-3439) appears twice a year

in April and October and is edited by Daryl P. Domning,

Department of Anatomy, Howard University, Washington, D.C. 20059  USA

(fax: 202-265-7055). It is supported by the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission.

 

 

 

NUMBER 23                                                                                                          APRIL 1995

 

 

IN THIS ISSUE:      -  MANATEE SURVEYS AND RELEASES IN BRAZIL  (p. 4)

 

                                                          - DUGONG CONSERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR

                                                            INDONESIA  (p. 5)

 

                                                          - RADIOTAGGING MANATEES IN MEXICO  (p. 6)

 

 

EDITORIAL:  FLORIDA MANATEE FISHERY

ACHIEVES NEW RECORD TAKE

 

          The  annual  harvest  of manatees in Florida last year scored an  all-time  high  total  of animals  taken,  according  to  figures compiled by the  state's  Department  of  Environmental Protection.  The  1994 summary of manatee mortality lists a total of 70  deaths  attributable  to human-related  causes  (watercraft  collisions, floodgates/canal locks,  and  other),  the  largest number since record-keeping began in 1974. The number of watercraft-related deaths (49) was the  third  highest on record (after 53 in 1991 and 50 in 1989), and the total number  of  deaths (192)  was second only to the maximum of 206 reached in 1990. These numbers  represent  an annual  mortality  of  about  10%  of the Florida  manatee  population,  based  on  the  current population  estimate of around 2,000. (Population models indicate that, even given a  low  rate of  mortality,  a sirenian population is capable of increasing at a rate of only  about  5-6%  per year.)

          After  showing  rapid growth in the late 1980's that peaked in 1991,  the  harvest  went into   a   two-year  slump  that  many  have  attributed  to  poor  economic   conditions   which
discouraged  growth  in boating. The 1994 statistics indicate that recovery from  this  slump  is now  complete, and with human population growth and boat registrations in Florida surging  to new highs, it is safe to anticipate the most successful manatee harvest ever in '95.

          Despite  this  continued strong growth in the manatee fishery, however, there  is  cause for  concern  over  its  future  in  the  longer run.  This  is  because  of  its  unusual  nature  in comparison with other forms of resource use. Typical commercial harvests of living  resources obey   the  ecological  laws  of  predator-prey  relationships,  because  the   harvesters'   direct nutritional or economic dependence on the harvest creates a negative feedback loop. If the prey are overexploited, the yield diminishes and eventually forces a corresponding diminution of the harvesting  effort:  the  predators  either  die,  go  out  of  business,  or  start  exploiting  other resources.  This  is also true of purely recreational fisheries, since the fishing effort is  at  least partly  a  function  of the take. The Florida manatee fishery, in contrast, is  exempt  from  this kind  of  natural regulation, because it constitutes an incidental take that mostly  occurs  in  the absence  of  any  intent  or  even  consciousness on the  part  of  those  causing  the  mortality. Moreover,  the  carcasses  of  the  harvested animals are not put  to  any  commercial  or  even recreational  use whose loss might be felt. Therefore, not even total extinction of  the  manatee stock would cause the harvesting effort (e.g., power boating) to diminish.

          This  lack of natural regulation, then, predicts that the manatee harvest  will  eventually collapse,  owing to practical extinction of the manatee stock. (Indeed, the  Potential  Biological Removal [PBR] level calculated for this stock by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is  already zero individuals per year.) The basic problem we must acknowledge is that the manatee-fishing fleet  is  already  heavily overcapitalized, with too much investment in  expensive  and  overly-efficient  fishing gear (hulls and high-powered engines). In the absence of natural  feedback  to control the accelerating growth of this already too large and efficient fleet, artificial  regulation by government (e.g., limits on boat speeds and numbers of launching ramps) is an  unfortunate necessity if we are to get the manatee PBR level back up where it belongs and enjoy a  healthy harvest of manatees into the next century.

          An  ominous  aspect of this situation, however, is the fact that  excess  fishing  capacity inevitably  generates  political pressures to increase fishery quotas - in this case,  upward  from the  present PBR of zero. Therefore, without reduction in the human population whose  growth is  ultimately driving the expansion of this and every other fishing fleet, there is little  hope  of rebuilding the manatee stock to a safely exploitable level.

          One  cause  for optimism, on the other hand, is the heavy involvement  of  the  Florida state  government  in manatee conservation. This contrasts with the situation in  (for  example) Hawaii,  where  the Hawaiian monk seal recovery effort has been almost entirely the  work  of federal  agencies.  When  the  federal  budget  is tight, as it has  been  for  years,  there  is  no effective  state program with an independent mandate and funding source to take up the  slack. The result of this essentially single-source funding base is that the monk seal program has been chronically  underfunded and essential recovery tasks have been left undone, to the extent  that the  Hawaiian monk seal is now seriously in danger of being the world's first managed  species of  marine mammal to face biological extinction. Florida, in contrast, was willing and  able  to shoulder  an  increasing share of the manatee program as the  federal  involvement  diminished over the past decade. As a result, the manatee's status (despite continuing cause for concern) is much less precarious than the monk seal's.

          It is, in principle, a healthier and more stable situation when the people of a state claim ownership  of,  and  accept  the responsibility for, a local  conservation  program,  rather  than leaving Washington (read: the taxpayers of all the other states) to carry the entire burden. It  is to   be  hoped  that  the  Florida  state  government  will  continue  to  recognize  the   historic importance  of its role and responsibility for protecting the manatee in U.S. waters. Much  has already  been done to fulfill this responsibility, but the greatest and most urgent challenge  still lies ahead: to rein in the reckless growth and activity of our own species.  -  DPD

 

 

 

 

FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR MANATEE RESEARCH

 

     Save  the Manatee Club (SMC) is interested in research projects involving the West  Indian manatee  in  the  wild.  SMC  is specifically interested in projects  that  are  prioritized  in  the Florida Manatee Recovery Plan and are therefore considered important for the recovery of  the Florida  manatee.  The deadline for receipt of proposals for funding in 1996  is  15  September 1995. Interested individuals should submit a letter of inquiry (no more than two pages)  stating explicitly  how  the  proposed  research  project relates to  the  goals  of  the  Florida  Manatee Recovery Plan and an estimate of cost. (Note: SMC does not pay overhead or similar charges.) The  average  cost  of research projects funded in recent years is approximately  $6000  in  the U.S. and about $1550 out of country. Research proposals involving unforeseen, critical  events may  be  submitted any time. Investigators should determine whether  an  Endangered  Species Permit  is  required for the proposed work. Contact Patti Thompson, Save the  Manatee  Club, 500 N. Maitland Ave., Suite 210, Maitland, FL 32751 for further information and instructions for submitting full proposals. Phone 1-800-432-5646.

 

 

SUMMER SCHOOL ON ZOO ANIMAL BEHAVIOR AND WELFARE

 

          Edinburgh  Zoo,  in conjunction with the University of Edinburgh, is  offering  a  two-week  summer  school from 17 to 28 July 1995 on Zoo Animal Behaviour and  Welfare.  It  is designed  for  all those involved in management and husbandry of captive  animal  populations (zoos,  safari parks, rear-and-release schemes, etc.), and will update participants on  the  latest scientific  theory  and its practical implementation. Edinburgh Zoo's research  has  resulted  in changes  in  enclosure  design  and  marked  reduction  in  stereotyped  behavior  and   general boredom.  The  tuition  cost  is  Ł750  (add-on  accommodation  package,  Ł140);  registration deadline is 31 May 1995. For information, contact Hamish Macandrew, UnivEd  Technologies Ltd.,  Abden House, 1 Marchhall Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 5HP, UK; tel.:  0131-650-3475; fax: 0131-650-3474.

 

 

SIRENEWS AND OTHER MANATEE INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET

 

          The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) now makes several sources of   manatee-related  information  available  on  the  Internet.  This  includes  the  contents   of brochures  on  basic  manatee  biology,  protective  measures,  and  safe  boating  practices  in manatee areas. Manatee mortality statistics will also be posted in the future. You can reach this service  at the following address: www.dep.state.fl.us (this provides access to  DEP's  Internet node; the manatee information can then be obtained by choosing the option "Protected  Species Management").

          Beginning  with  this issue, Sirenews will also be accessible via this service.  This  may not have happened by the time you receive this issue, but it is in the works for the near future.

             READERS  PLEASE  NOTE:  In  the event that you find this  new  way  of  receiving Sirenews  sufficient  for your needs and you no longer wish to receive the  hard-copy  version, please  notify  me  of  this by fax or regular mail (NOT via e-mail)  so  that  our  printing  and mailing costs can be kept down. Thanks!  -  DPD

 

 

ABSTRACTS OF PUBLISHED PAPERS IN SIRENEWS?

 

          A reader has inquired whether it would be possible for Sirenews to print abstracts  from published papers in addition to those from unpublished presentations and theses. I do not  have the  time  to do the necessary typing, which would be extremely burdensome (and  take  up  an inordinate  amount  of space) if I attempted to include all the new papers cited  in  each  issue. However,  if authors submit abstracts of their new papers on diskette, I am willing  to  include them on a space-available basis. Indeed, I would appreciate it if all submissions were made  on diskette,  preferably  in  WordStar  or ASCII IBM-compatible  format.  I'll  even  return  your diskettes!  -  DPD

 

 

LOCAL NEWS

 

BRAZIL

 

     Preliminary     Studies    of     Manatee (Trichechus   manatus)  Distribution   and Status  and  Conservation  Efforts  on  the Northern Coast of Brazil. - Continuing  the work   of   the  "Igarakuę"  mobile   unit   of IBAMA's  National Center for  Conservation and Management of Sirenians (Centro  Peixe-Boi),  preliminary studies have  been  carried out on manatee distribution and status on  the northern coast of Brazil.

     The  study area was  approximately  2600 km  of  coastline,  comprising  the  states   of Maranhao,  Pará, and Amapá, including  also Marajó Island and the mouths of the Amazon River.  Between 20 March and 11  September 1992,  researchers conducted  136  interviews at  74 localities along the coast of  Maranhao, which  was divided into five regions:  (I)  the mouth  of  the Paraiba  River;  (II)  "Lençóis Maranhenses";   (III)   Tubarao   Bay;    (IV) "Golfao Maranhense"; and (V) "Reentrâncias Maranhenses".

     Manatees  were found to occur in  regions III,  IV,  and  V,  with  region  III  the  most important. They are absent from large  areas. The  total population of the  Maranhao  coast appears  to  be little more than  100  animals, occupying  areas of mangroves  and  "paturá" (Spartina sp.). Harpoon hunting occurs  rarely;  fishing nets seem to be the main  way  of capturing manatees in the region.

     Between June and August 1993, the  Pará coast,  Marajó  Island,  the  Amazon  mouths and the Amapá coast were surveyed. In Pará, 85  interviews  were  done  and  55  localities visited;  in  Amapá,  44  interviews  and   29 localities.   The  presence  of  manatees   was recorded  in  the  Gurupi  River  estuary  (the boundary between Pará and Maranhao). They have disappeared from almost the entire  Pará coast,  but manatees of unknown  species  (T. manatus  or T. inunguis) are present near  the mouth of Marajó Bay. In the inner portion of the bay, on the mainland as far as Belém,  we found  evidence  only of T. inunguis,  but  in the part close to Marajó Island (Soure,  Pesqueiro)  we  found indications  of  the  occurrence  of  both species. In the  entire  area  of the  Pará River surrounding the island  as  far as  Macapá,  as well as on the  coasts  of  the island  and  the adjacent  archipelago,  in  the Amazon  mouths,  and  in the  area  of  Lake Piratuba  (Amapá), we found evidence of  the continuous occurrence of T. inunguis.  Along the  Amapá  coast from Marajó Island  to  the Oiapoque River (the boundary between Brazil and French Guiana), the species present is  T. manatus.

     Many  harpoon  hunters are  still  actively killing  both  species. In Amapá they  use  an interesting  method  employing  a  "mutá",  a platform  on which the hunter waits  with  his harpoon when the tide rises and the  manatees come  to feed on the surrounding  submerged vegetation.

     Through  this work the Centro  Peixe-Boi has  surveyed the range of T.  manatus  along the  entire coast of Brazil - a four-year  study in  ten  states, involving 862  interviews  and visits  to 357 localities. In each locality  conservation  efforts  were  developed  with   the community, through dissemination of  information   and  ongoing  participation   of   the population.  -  Régis Pinto de Lima (Centro Peixe-Boi, IBAMA, Paripueira, Alagoas)

 

     First  Reintroduction of Manatees  into the  Wild in Northeastern Brazil. -  On  10 October   1994,   two   3-year-old   manatees (Trichechus   m.  manatus),  rescued  as   orphaned  calves in 1991 and kept  in  captivity since  then, were transported from the  facilities of IBAMA's National Center for Conservation and Management of Sirenians (Itamaraca  Island)  to Paripueira Beach  in  Alagoas State,  where a circular wooden pen 15  m  in diameter   was  constructed  to   enclose   the animals,  providing for  gradual  readaptation to  the natural environment and also  for  behavioral studies.

     The   animals,   Astro  (male)   and   Lua (female),   traveled  to  Paripueira  aboard   a truck  in  a  fiberglass tank   half  filled  with water   and  with  its  bottom   covered   with polyurethane-sponge cushioning. After a 210-mile  trip  lasting more than  10  hours,  they were  placed, one at a time, in a  stretcher  to be moved to an inflatable boat that took them to  the  pen, approximately 800  m  from  the beach.

     Immediately after the transport, Astro and Lua showed the same pattern of behavior that they  used to have in captivity,  eating,  playing,  and resting. During the very first  hours they  were  observed eating algae  (Ulva  sp.) and  seagrass (Halodule sp.) that grew  inside the pen.

     Their  diet  gradually came  to  include  a higher   percentage  of  seagrass   and   algae collected  in  the  vicinity  of  the  pen.  They always  welcomed the seagrass  (having  been fed Halodule in captivity), but accepted  only a  few  species  of  algae.  Their  feces   were collected for future analysis.

     Astro  and  Lua  showed  very  dependent behavior   and  extensive  interactions,   even nursing on each other frequently. A bioacoustic study was done to correlate their  behavior and vocalizations.

     During  their  first week in the  pen,  they received  a  visit from a group of  three  wild manatees,  one  adult,  one  young,  and  one calf, which remained around the pen for over two   hours  and  then  left.  No   other   wild manatees were reported close to the pen.

     After  70 days, both animals were  judged ready  for  release. In  December  they  were marked   with  PTT/VHF  transmitters  in   a cooperative effort between the technicians  of the  Centro Peixe-Boi and James Reid  of  the U.S.  National  Biological  Service's  Sirenia Project. The animals were then measured,  in order  to  verify any loss of  weight  after  release.

     On  15 December, after a short period  of training,  both animals were accompanied  by a  diver  to  the  area  outside  the  pen.  This procedure  was continued for five days,  each time going further away but always returning to  the  pen, until the release  day,  when  the gate was opened and the animals went out  by themselves.

     Prior to the release, efforts were made  to inform all coastal communities of the important  role  they would play in the  release,  reporting  any sightings of the marked  animals or  the  transmitters. This was  done  through informal    conversations,    distribution     of posters, TV, and radio, and as a result  many calls  were received from all along  the  coast reporting  sightings of Astro, Lua,  and  wild manatees.

     Astro  and  Lua have  been  radio-tracked since  their  release  with  approximately   10 hours  of  observation every day. In  the  first weeks  they  gradually expanded  their  range north  and  south, always using the pen  as  a reference  point. Both animals have lost  their transmitters  at least twice, but  were  always retagged.  They  have now been  observed  in areas  used by wild manatees. They have  not lost  any considerable amount of weight,  and are always observed in shallow waters,  feeding, playing, traveling, and resting.

Also worth noting is another first:  the creation  of the Paripueira Municipal  Marine Park,  the  first  marine park  of  its  kind  in Latin  America,  which  hopefully  will   help raise   the  environmental   consciousness   of local  communities  as well as  provide  additional  protection to the manatees'  habitat  in Alagoas.  -   Régis Pinto  de  Lima  (Centro Peixe-Boi,   IBAMA,  Paripueira,   Alagoas) (Mario Antonio de Mello, Municipal Secretary  for  the  Environment,  Paripueira,  also contributed to this report.)

 

INDONESIA

 

Indonesia-Netherlands       Dugong Research   Project   Makes   Conservation Recommendations.   -  The  joint   research project  being carried out by  Pattimura  University   (Indonesia)  and  Leiden   University (The  Netherlands)  considers  the  dugong  a flagship  species  for coastal  conservation  in Indonesia.   There  and   throughout   coastal Asia, habitats are threatened by unsustainable fishing  (e.g., with dynamite or cyanide)  and land-based   activities  causing   erosion   and sedimentation in seagrass beds. Our  observations  are  based  on  a  small  area  and  thus should be interpreted with care, but since  the situation in the Lease islands is representative of   many  tropical  small-island   ecosystems outside  Australia,  our results  should  be  of interest  to  those working in  similar  ecosystems.

Since  1990 we have studied  seagrass dynamics, the impact of dugong feeding, and dugong  movements and behavior  in  Haruku Strait,  between Ambon and  Haruku.  Aerial surveys   (1990-91)   indicated   a   minimum population   of   22-37   dugongs.    Satellite-tracking of a subadult male showed that these animals   interact  with  a  larger   population around Ceram Island to the north.

The  available seagrass  meadows  are confined  to a coastal shelf no more than  500 m  wide,  and  all  are  situated  in  front   of coastal villages. Most of the dugongs consistently foraged on only 2-3 "core areas"; cultivation   grazing   was   common   and   small (presumably   family)   groups   of   dugongs returned  regularly to the same feeding  plots. Dugongs adapted their feeding strategy to the characteristics  of  individual  meadows.   An intertidal meadow showed feeding peaks only during  August-October  (at  the  end  of   the rainy  season), when total organic  carbon  in the   below-ground  biomass  is  maximal   in these   Halodule-dominated  meadows.  In   a single  subtidal meadow, on the  other  hand, peak feeding occurred in October-November, when standing crop was maximal. Grazing on  the whole was infrequent or  absent  from January to May, when rhizome/root  biomass is low, and frequent from June to  December, during  and  after the onset of the  wet  monsoon,  when  rhizome/root  biomass  is  high. There  are strong indications that (as in  Australia)  calving takes place mainly when  high rhizome/root biomass is available.

We  have concluded that  the  existing marine  reserve in Pulau Pombo is  insignificant  for dugong conservation because  of  its relatively   sparse  seagrass  beds,  and   have recommended  to  the  local  government  the establishment    of   dugong   sanctuaries    in Haruku   Strait,   Saparua   Bay,   and   Piru. Dugong conservation and management in  the Moluccas will in general require enforcement of  existing  international  and  national  laws respecting   dugong   catches   and   trade   in dugong   products;   continued   research   on dugong migration, distribution, and reproduction; promotion of community-based  conservation; and implementation of a  coastal-zone management  plan that includes  dugong  protection. Our specific recommendations are  as follows:

 a.  Enforcement  of  existing   regulations protecting dugongs in East Ambon.

 b.  Creation  of  the  dugong   sanctuaries mentioned above. Declaration of these sanctuaries    should   coincide    with enforcement   and   enhancement    of traditional  conservation systems,  like the local "sasi laut".

 c.  Restriction  of  gillnet  fishing  during periods of high rhizome-root  biomass of  Halodule  in  sanctuary  areas,   to prevent incidental catch of neonates.

 d.  Training   of   Pattimura    University students  in  dugong and  seagrass  research methods, so that they can  take over this research in the future.

 e.  Production and distribution of dugong posters,  leaflets, and T-shirts  among government  offices,  village  leaders, schoolteachers,   pupils,  and   households in the project area. This  should be done in close cooperation with  the Asian Wetland Bureau, PHPS,  WWF Jakarta, Oceanarium Ancol in Jakarta, and  the Yayasan Hualopy in  Ambon.  -  Hans de Iongh

 

MEXICO

 

     Manatee  Research in Mexico. -  Belize and the Mexican state of Quintana Roo  share one  of the larger populations of West  Indian manatees outside Florida. Resource managers from  both  countries are concerned  that  the current and future development plans for  the region may endanger the manatees, but  more information on their habitat needs is  required to  develop protection plans. Biologists  from Quintana  Roo and Belize initiated a study  of the   manatees  in  the  region,   including   a population assessment using aerial surveys. A radio-tracking  study has also been started  to determine movement patterns and habitat  use of the manatees in Chetumal Bay.

     The   radio-tracking   project  is   led   by Benjamin Morales Vela, a marine mammalogist  with  the Centro  de  Investigaciones  de Quintana Roo (CIQRO) in the city of Chetumal.  Because  this is one of  the  first  radio-tracking  studies  of  West  Indian   manatees outside   Florida,  CIQRO  biologists   David Olivera Gomez and Gerardo Rivas Hernandez spent  a week in Florida during  late  October 1994  learning  how to construct  the  specialized  radio-tags.  In addition,  two  biologists from  the  United States  National  Biological Service, Bob Bonde from the Sirenia  Project in  Gainesville, Florida, and  Galen  Rathbun from the Piedras Blancas Research Station  in San Simeon, California, traveled to Chetumal to  give advice and assistance with the  initial phase  of  the project. The objectives  of  this initial phase were to develop capture methods for  manatees in the Chetumal Bay area,  and train  Mexican and Belizian biologists  in  the techniques   of  radio-tagging   and   tracking manatees.

     Between   8   and  18   November   1994, Mexican,  American, and Belizian  biologists worked  at  capturing and  radio-tagging  two manatees,   under  a  permit  issued   by   the Mexican government to CIQRO. Bob  Bonde brought  capture nets from Florida,  with  the hope  of  finding some animals in  a  suitable canal  or  lagoon  where  the  nets  would  be effective.  Galen Rathbun brought  equipment to  try  and capture manatees  in  open  water with hand-held hoop-nets, a technique that he helped develop for dugongs in Australia.

     Both  techniques, however, failed.  Manatees were not found in any narrow canals  or channels  in  November,  and  thus  the   nets were  of  little  use.  The  capture  team  also failed   to  hoop-net  any  manatees  in   open water,  although  some  were  "almost"   captured.  The  escape behavior  of  manatees  is very  different  from that  of  dugongs.  Even when  fleeing at nearly full-speed, as soon  as the manatees sensed a net or noose near  their head  they  tucked and rolled out  of  the  net with incredible speed and agility.

     In   the   end,  a   chase-and-tire   capture method  that Mexican fishermen  traditionally used  in  the region was used. In  contrast  to the fishermen's method, however, an airplane was  used  to find manatees in  good  capture locations.  At the end of an aerial search,  the pilot  would drop a map in a plastic bottle  to the   waiting  capture  boats,  and   with   this information   the   capture   team   efficiently located manatees in clear, shallow water. The boats  were  used to continually,  but  gently, chase and herd the same manatee until it tired after   1-2  hours.  At  this  point   swimmers entered  the  water and slipped a  rope  noose over  the  head  and onto  the  peduncle.  The first  manatee captured, named Carmen,  was easily  brought alongside the boats,  where  it was sexed, measured, and radio-tagged while surrounded  by swimmers standing  in  chest-deep   water.  The  second  manatee,   named Gabriela,   was  captured  in   deeper   water, which gave the opportunity to test a modified inflatable  boat  to cradle her  while  she  was moved to water where swimmers could stand; it all worked perfectly.

     The chase-and-tire technique worked very well   in  Chetumal  Bay,  but  probably   has limited  use in other areas where the water  is deeper and more turbid. Unless an  individual manatee  can  be  followed  for  one  or   two hours  until  it tires, there is  little  chance  of approaching it with nets or nooses.

     The   two  female  manatees   have   been radio-located one or more times a week since they   were  tagged.  During  December   and January neither moved more than about 9 km from their capture locations. With the experience  and success gained from capturing  and radio-tagging  these two manatees,  plans  are being  developed to tag up to 10  more  individuals  in the next two years. However,  this plan  must now be reassessed in terms of  the dynamics of the Mexican peso.  -   Benjamin Morales  Vela,  Galen  B.  Rathbun,   and David Olivera Gomez

 

PALAU

 

Palauan    Dugongs    Once    More "Officially"   Endangered.   -   What    one bureaucratic   oversight  does,   another   can sometimes  undo.  Thus it came to  pass  that way  back in 1970, when the U.S.  Fish  and Wildlife Service listed the dugong as  endangered under the Endangered Species Conservation  Act of 1969, separate lists  of  foreign and  domestic  protected species  were  being maintained,  and the dugong was placed  only on  the  foreign  list -  although  the  Palauan population was then under U.S. jurisdiction.

This  slip-up was  seemingly  rectified when  the  1969  act was  superseded  by  the Endangered  Species Act (ESA) of 1973  and the  separate  lists were merged into  a  single one. The dugong was included on this list  as endangered  throughout its range -  including, implicitly  and  for the first time  under  U.S. law, Palau. 

In  1988, however, the Service  belatedly  discovered  that  this  inclusion  of   the Palauan  dugong  population had  been  made without  the required public notice.  Contrary to  the ESA's provisions, the Trust  Territory of the Pacific Islands had not been notified of the  proposed change in listing and invited  to comment on it. Upon discovering this second procedural oversight, the Service then deleted the  Palauan dugongs from the list.  This  left them  outside the protection of both the  ESA and   the  Marine  Mammal   Protection   Act (which never applied to the Trust  Territory), and   thus  protected  only  by   inadequately-enforced Palauan law.

Not until August 1993 did the Service finally  publish a proposed rule to  re-list  the Palauan  population  as endangered.  Also  in that   year,  at  the  instigation  of  the   U.S. Marine Mammal Commission, the drafting of a   recovery   plan  for  the   population   was begun. Both efforts were still underway on  1 October   1994,  when  Palau  became   fully independent  and  the  Service's  management authority over Palauan dugongs ended.

So where does that leave the dugongs, rule-wise? In the view of sources in the  U.S. government,  Palauan independence has  now rendered  the  issue moot, because  the  1988 listing  applied  to the dugong's  entire  range "except  USA." Now that dugongs no  longer exist  in the USA, the Palauan population  is, by  default,  once  again  considered   endangered, with no further legal action required.

Meanwhile,  the  Palauan   population continues  its decline, and the  recovery  plan (which  will  be  turned over  to  the  Palauan Government   when  completed)   cannot   be implemented  too soon.  -  (based in  part  on the   Marine  Mammal   Commission   Annual Reports to Congress, 1993 and 1994)

 

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

 

Dugong   Surveys  Planned  in   the Arabian  Gulf. - Recent wildlife  surveys  in UAE waters of the southern Arabian Gulf  by the  Abu  Dhabi-based  National  Avian   Research  Center have pinpointed specific  areas apparently  used  regularly by  herds  of  dugongs. Although precise population estimates are  still lacking, anecdotal evidence  gleaned from local fishermen suggests that significant numbers remain.

The   rather   piecemeal   observations achieved to date are hopefully to be  replaced by  systematic  aerial  surveys  and  quarterly monitoring  flights (during which turtles  will also  be censused) from late 1995 onward.  A proposal  to satellite-tag one or more  animals is a possibility, with research on the  distribution  and  productivity of seagrass  beds  also likely.  Such