Making the Case for Marine Mammal Protection

For more than half a century, the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) has played a crucial role in safeguarding marine mammals from myriad threats—from entanglement in fishing gear to human-caused noise pollution—enabling many vulnerable populations to recover. Despite its success and long-standing bipartisan support, in late July, Rep. Nick Begich (R-AK) released draft legislation that marked the most serious attack on the MMPA since its 1972 enactment. The bill seeks to neutralize the law’s core tenets and alter scientific standards in a manner likely to result in unsustainably low population levels and ecosystem declines—threatening irreversible harm to species such as the North Atlantic right whale, Florida manatee, Hawaii false killer whale, bottlenose dolphin, and Pacific walrus.

Immediately, AWI teamed up with dozens of animal welfare and conservation groups to fend off this latest attempt to weaken the MMPA before lawmakers left Washington for the August recess. Upon their return in September, AWI and allies resumed our efforts, flying in 18 regional experts and conducting 45 Hill meetings over two days. Meeting with offices on both sides of the aisle, we emphasized both the ecological and economic importance of the MMPA, sharing firsthand accounts from coastal communities, scientists, and small business owners who rely on healthy marine ecosystems.

The week also featured two well-attended Hill events—a film screening of The Right Whale: Tales of Resilience and Hope, and a roundtable briefing with experts from the Marine Mammal Center, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and the tourism industry, underscoring the MMPA’s enduring legacy and the urgent need to safeguard it for generations to come.

See more AWI Quarterly articles about: Marine Wildlife, Whaling

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