Celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of the

October 21^st marked the 50^th anniversary of the enactment of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The Commission is proud to help celebrate and reflect on five decades of marine mammal conservation, research, and recovery. We have accomplished a lot in the past 50 years, and the status of many marine mammal species has improved. While some species of large whales are finally recovering from centuries of whaling and many pinniped species also have successfully rebounded from overexploitation, many marine mammals still face direct and indirect impacts from fisheries, habitat loss, and other human activities. Great challenges lie ahead in the warming and rising seas of climate change and continued human dependence on the oceans, and we still have much work ahead of us to understand and manage threats to ensure marine mammals have a bright future.

The Commission, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), invited leaders in the field to contribute videos about the importance of MMPA and reflect on the future.

Watch these videos on our website, with more on the way.

The Commission is delighted to announce the hiring of Dr. Lori Schwacke (left) as the new Scientific Program Director and Lauri Leach (right) as the new Policy Analyst with the Commission. Dr. Schwacke previously served as Chief Scientist for Conservation Medicine at the National Marine Mammal Foundation, and prior to that was at NOAA for 16 years. Lauri Leach joins from the NMFS Office of Protected Resources and Ocean Associates Inc., after having been the Commission’s NOAA Sea Grant Knauss Fellow in 2021. Learn more about our new hires on our website.

The Commission provides science-based oversight of domestic and international policies and actions of federal agencies, reviewing proposed actions and providing recommendations to minimize their impacts on marine mammals and their environment. The Commission drafts and submits over fifty recommendation letters every year, each of which are posted to our website along with responses from recipients when available. Below some of our recommendation letters on proposed federal actions related to North Atlantic right whales from the past few months, which can be read in their entirety on the Commission website.

Visit our North Atlantic Right Whale webpage for more.

The call for fiscal year 2022 data for the Commission’s annual Survey of Federally Funded Marine Mammal Research opened on October 17^th. 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 2022 data call is open until December 23^rd. A summary of the fiscal year 2021 results is available on our website. The Commission thanks all participating federal agencies for providing their information. 

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.

MMPA Turns 50 Years Old – Frances Gulland

Gray Whale Numbers Continue to Decline – Sue Moore

Marine Mammals in the Gulf of Mexico – Lori Schwacke

Antarctic Leopard Seal Movements and Morphometrics – Erin LaBrecque

Dolphin Conservation in Sarasota - Randall Wells

Credit: Todd Speakman, NMMF