The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) was established to prevent marine mammal species and population stocks from declining beyond the point where they cease to be significant functioning elements of the ecosystems of which they are a part, according to the NOAA website.
Congress passed the legislation in 1972.
The USFWS, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, and Marine Mammal Commission are responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the act, which established a general moratorium on the taking and importing of many marine mammals, according to NOAA.
"50 years ago, America invested in protecting wildlife & water by passing the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Clean Water Act, Coastal Zone Management Act, & National Marine Sanctuaries Act," the USFWS tweeted Jan. 19. "These laws, along with the Endangered Species Act in 1973, support a healthy natural world."
The Service shared their excitement for the anniversary in another tweet Jan. 19.
"You otter know! We’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Together with @NOAA, join us in charting the next 50 years of ocean conservation."
The USFWS, NOAA and the Marine Mammal Commission have specific responsibilities for enacting the MMPA: NOAA Fisheries is responsible for the protection of whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea lions; the USFWS is responsible for the protection of walrus, manatees, sea otters, and polar bears; and the Marine Mammal Commission provides independent, science-based oversight of domestic and international policies and actions of federal agencies addressing human impacts on marine mammals and their ecosystems, according to the act.
Other acts implemented by Congress in 1972 to safeguard the nation’s ocean and coasts include the Coastal Zone Management Act, the National Marine Sanctuaries Act and the Clean Water Act.
