Mmpa program

Status review; conservation plans Sec. Authorization of appropriations Sec. Dolphin protection Sec. Stock assessments Sec. Taking of marine mammals incidental to commercial fishing operations Sec. Marine mammal cooperative agreements in Alaska Sec. Establishment of Commission Sec.

Duties of Commission Sec. Commission reports Sec. Coordination with other Federal agencies Sec. Administration of Commission Sec. Findings and policy Sec. International Dolphin Conservation Program Sec.

Regulatory authority of the Secretary Sec. Research Sec. Reports by the Secretary Sec. Prohibitions Whales swimming near a cargo ship. Establishment of program Sec. Determination; data collection and dissemination Sec. As such, they can help serve as indicators of ocean health, giving insight into larger environmental issues, which may also have implications for human health and welfare.

When marine mammal stranding rates are higher than usual, the MMPA sets out a process to evaluate strandings and determine whether they should be designated as unusual mortality events, which triggers a specific investigative response. UMEs can be caused by either natural or human factors, such as disease outbreaks, biotoxins from harmful algal blooms, oceanographic events, pollution, vessel strikes, and entanglement in fishing gear or marine debris.

Learn more about unusual mortality events. Three federal agencies share responsibility for the protection and conservation of marine mammals. NOAA Fisheries is responsible for the management of whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea lions.

The U. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for polar bears, walruses, sea otters, manatees, and dugongs. We are responsible for managing the taking of marine mammals through permits and authorizations. The act makes some exceptions, though:. Permitted incidental take e.

Authorized incidental take during non-fishing activities including oil and gas development, military readiness activities, renewable energy projects, construction projects, and research.

Permitted directed take and import for scientific research, enhancement, commercial or educational photography, and public display. The prohibition generally does not apply to Alaska natives who live on the Alaskan coast. The MMPA contains provisions allowing for take for subsistence use , or to create and sell handicrafts and clothing without permits or authorizations. We are responsible for developing and implementing conservation plans for marine mammal species that are designated as "depleted".

Species or populations are considered depleted if they are below their optimum sustainable population level, or are listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Learn more about the conservation and management of depleted species.

Fisheries bycatch is the greatest direct cause of marine mammal injury and death. NOAA Fisheries is engaged in many conservation and management actions to reduce the death or injury of marine mammals from commercial fishing operations. NOAA Fisheries implements the Marine Mammal Authorization Program, which provides exemptions to certain commercial fisheries for the accidental injury or death of marine mammals during fishing operations.

The MMPA mandates that each fishery be categorized according to how common these deaths or injuries are there: frequent, occasional, or only remotely likely. The program also requires that any death or injury of a marine mammal during commercial fishing operations must be reported to NOAA Fisheries. View our List of Fisheries. NOAA Fisheries develops and implements take reduction plans to minimize bycatch of strategic marine mammal stocks.

Each plan is designed to minimize serious injuries and deaths through a combination of voluntary and regulatory measures. To reduce marine mammal bycatch, NOAA Fisheries works with the fishing industry to modify fishing gear and fishing practices.

Scientists and managers then work with fishermen and gear designers to find ways to reduce marine mammal injury and mortality. Learn more about fishing gear and risks to protected species. Learn more about the Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program. We are also working to reduce marine mammal bycatch associated with international commercial fishing by holding nations exporting fish and fish products to the United States to the same standards as U.

Nations wishing to export fish and fish products to the United States have until to meet similar marine mammal protection standards to those in place for U. Learn more about seafood import requirements. NOAA Fisheries coordinates the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program, which works with trained partners in every coastal state to respond to reports of animals in distress and assess their condition when they are found sick, injured, or dead.

Data are collected for inclusion in a national database, contributing to our understanding of marine mammal communities and helping us monitor the health of their populations. Volunteer stranding response networks managed through a national coordinator and regional coordinators. Investigations of unusual mortality events. Collection and cryogenic storage of marine mammal tissue collected during strandings. Learn more about our stranding network partners.

Feeding or closely interacting with wild animals changes their behavior and puts them at risk. Under the MMPA, it is illegal to feed, attempt to feed, or otherwise harass marine mammals in the wild. There are many ways to view marine mammals responsibly and enjoy their natural behaviors—we have developed r egulations and guidelines with specific recommendations and distances for viewing whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions, and other marine animals.

Our law enforcement officers work with the U. Coast Guard and state natural resource enforcement agencies to ensure compliance and take action when these laws are broken. Learn more about why it's illegal to feed or harass marine mammals in the wild. Science is critical to understanding the needs and status of marine mammal populations, as well as the threats to their health and well-being. NOAA Fisheries pursues a scientific understanding of these topics because it is essential to conservation efforts.

Examples of our work include assessing and monitoring marine mammal stocks, researching disease agents e. It allows us to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation and recovery measures, and to adjust management approaches as needed.

Stock assessment reports for all marine mammals in U. Since that time, all stocks have been reviewed at least every three years or as new information becomes available.

Stocks that are designated as strategic are reviewed annually. Each draft stock assessment report is peer-reviewed by one of three regional Scientific Review Groups and revised and published after a public comment period. Data collection, analysis, and interpretation are conducted through marine mammal research programs at each of our Fisheries Science Centers and by other researchers. Learn more about marine mammal stock assessments. Find the most recent stock assessment reports.

Ship-based and aerial surveys are critical to achieving our marine mammal population assessment goals, which include estimating abundance and examining trends and human impacts relative to management objectives. Our science centers conduct and manage a limited number of marine mammal surveys each year, often with external collaborators. The number of surveys depends on funding and available ship time and flight time.

Learn more about our surveys. The efficiency of sound travel under water has led to increasing concern over how artificial sound potentially impacts the underwater environment. Our scientists support and conduct research to examine these potential impacts on marine animals and to increase understanding of:. Learn more about ocean acoustics. Understanding climate change impacts on living marine resource distribution and occurrence patterns is a high priority for NOAA Fisheries.

We know relatively little about the effects of global and regional climate dynamics on species distribution, abundance, and prey availability. The Arctic in particular is a window to changing climate patterns and a suitable biological laboratory to observe and record the impacts of receding sea ice, warming sea surface temperatures, and variable energy flow.

These impacts all affect key marine ecosystem functions and native tribal communities that depend on Arctic resources for their livelihood and sustenance. Learn more about climate-related changes in ocean ecosystems.

Reducing bycatch of protected species can improve the recovery of marine mammals. Together with the fishing industry, we work to minimize bycatch by developing technological solutions and changes in fishing practices. The program is designed to be self-sustaining in that at the end of the year, profits are returned as patronage to participating farms. After moving the warehouse from St.

Louis, Michigan to its current location along the US corridor in , the merchandise team added a teat dip mixing system and increased inventory with the additional space. The new location, convenient for dispatching product deliveries, proved to be a more efficient facility and offers room for growth for the program in the future. The warehouse team also recently released a new and improved merchandise catalog for members. It provides a better look at what is available in stock in Mt.

Pleasant with pictures and stock numbers for easier ordering. Farms can order from the catalog online, by fax, through their hauler or by calling the warehouse. In addition to many haulers keeping merchandise inventory for easy delivery, farms may sign up for the direct delivery service.

Deliveries can be scheduled for a few times a year up to every four weeks.