For about 1 penny per American per year, the Marine Mammal Commission has met its Congressional mandate to conserve marine mammals for almost 50 years.
We work to ensure that marine mammal populations are restored and maintained as functioning elements of healthy marine ecosystems in the world's oceans.
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The Commission Announces Fiscal Year 2022 Grant Program!
Climate Change Effects on Marine Mammals
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The Marine Mammal Commission announces a request for proposals for projects focused on climate change effects on marine mammals. We are specifically interested in projects that:
- Further our understanding of how climate change affects, either directly or indirectly, the reproductive performance, survivorship, abundance, or vital rates of marine mammals.
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- Advance science-based conservation interventions or management strategies to mitigate climate-change induced threats to marine mammals. Ideally, such approaches should be transferable across species and/or locations.
Understanding the effects of climate change requires longitudinal and cross-disciplinary data. Therefore, extra weight will be given to proposals that demonstrate use of, or contribution to, long-term datasets, archives, repositories, or emerging data technologies that are broadly available and accessible for future evaluations of change. The Commission will be accepting research proposals until April 13, 2022. For more information, visit our website.
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New Population Estimate Underscores Crisis
Facing Right Whale Management
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The ongoing North Atlantic Right Whale Unusual Mortality Event remains active, with five whales confirmed to have died or been seriously injured in U.S. waters during 2021. These five cases, along with any additional undocumented mortalities or serious injuries, contributed to the continued decline of the population. The recent preliminary population estimate released by the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium in October and to be finalized in January 2022, puts the population at 336 whales alive in 2020. This estimate does not include the deaths or births in 2021. As Barb Zoodsma, the Southeast U.S. Large Whale Recovery Program Coordinator for NOAA fisheries, clearly puts it, “We’re at a crisis moment here.”
The Commission remains committed to protecting and conserving this iconic species. In addition to serving as a member of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team, the Commission engaged on this issue on multiple occasions in the past few months by:
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Executive Director, Peter Thomas, gave a talk at the NARWC meeting, which is available on our website under Commission Action: www.mmc.gov/narw
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The Commission supported research aimed at addressing threats facing North Atlantic right whales through our FY21 Grants program
- The Commission briefed Congressional offices on North Atlantic right whale issues, budget needs, and developments.
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Hot Topics in Marine Mammal Conservation: Efforts to Reduce Harassment of Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins |
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Hawaiian spinner dolphin. Credit: NOAA |
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Hawaii is home to a variety of marine mammal species, including the Hawaiian spinner dolphin, a small cetacean species known for spinning as they leap out of the water. Spinner dolphins typically forage offshore at night and return to nearshore bays to rest during the day. As a result of this predictable behavior, resting spinner dolphins are often approached by boaters and swimmers seeking interactions with wild marine mammals. These interactions disrupt the dolphins’ rest, possibly leading to negative impacts on individual and population health over time and abandonment of resting areas.
To address this issue, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) recently released a final spinner dolphin harassment rule prohibiting swimmers and vessels from approaching within 50 yards of these dolphins. The rule became effective on 28 October 2021. NMFS also released a proposed rule soliciting comments on time-area closures in four bays around Hawaii and one bay on Maui; the closures would prohibit entrance into certain areas of these critical resting bays between 6am and 3pm. The Commission is pleased to see action on these rules, which have been under consideration for over ten years. The Commission will be commenting on the proposed rule and continues to support NMFS’s efforts to reduce harassment of this species.
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Call to Agencies for FY21 Data on Marine Mammal Research |
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The call for fiscal year 2021 data for the Commission’s annual Survey of Federally Funded Marine Mammal Research opens on November 9th. This online survey and data repository aids the Commission in fulfilling its duties under the Marine Mammal Protection Act by helping to identify gaps or overlap in marine mammal research efforts or funding, illuminate areas of strength in federal research investment, and inform recommendations on needed agency actions and budget priorities. The fiscal year 2021 data call is open until December 21st. A summary of the fiscal year 2020 results is available here. The Commission thanks all participating federal agencies for providing their information.
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Marine Mammal Commission scientific advisors, staff, and science in the news |
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Below are a few recent media highlights that reflect some of the ongoing scientific research, collaborations, and accomplishments of our world-renowned marine mammal scientists. For a reminder about our Commissioners, Committee of Scientific Advisors, and Staff, visit our website. |
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An Irrawaddy dolphin in the Mekong River along border of Cambodia and Laos. Credit: WWF Cambodia |
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