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President Trump released the Administration’s budget proposal to Congress on May 2nd, 2025, seeking to eliminate the Marine Mammal Commission (Commission) in fiscal year 2026, which begins on October 1, 2025. I regret having to share this news and my concern about the impact this proposal would have on marine mammals, the American public, and especially our marine and coastal communities.
In the early 1970s, in response to enormous concern expressed by the American public, Congress passed the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), firmly placing the United States at the forefront of marine mammal and marine ecosystem conservation. This Act established the Commission, which has fulfilled its mandate for over half a century, providing independent, science-based oversight of federal activities and programs affecting marine mammals—a function performed by no other agency.
Marine mammals inspire children and adults alike. They draw us to the sea and remind us of the beauty and power of nature. We have proudly served you to ensure that whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions, manatees, walrus, sea otters, and polar bears thrive for generations to come. In addition to being part of our natural resource heritage and serving as ocean ambassadors, marine mammals play a critical role in the health and productivity of the world’s oceans, are culturally significant to many Americans, and contribute significant revenue and employment to our coastal economies.
The Commission sits at the juncture where the directives of the MMPA, science, and economic factors are reconciled in pursuit of the goals of the Act, to balance the demands of human activities with the protection of marine mammals and the habitats that sustain them. This role of the Commission helps ensure an effective and efficient regulatory process that abides by Congressional directives, incorporates all stakeholder views, and is based on the best available science. We excel at bringing people together to find solutions to problems before they become crises. We fund cutting edge research that targets novel, low-cost projects that achieve a large impact. We work to ensure healthy populations of marine mammals in our oceans and we help to protect the subsistence rights of Alaska Natives who depend on marine mammals. We proudly perform these and other duties with a modest annual operating budget of $4.5 million, which comes to just over 1 penny per American per year.
A dedicated team of Commission staff has tirelessly and proudly served our country for over 50 years. In the most recent Federal Employee Survey, the Commission ranked number one in the U.S. government for overall employee engagement and satisfaction, showcasing the level of commitment and motivation of its staff. Despite facing possible elimination of the agency and loss of employment, employees of the Commission remain committed to you and to our Congressional mandate to responsibly manage and protect marine mammals and their ecosystems, which are vital to our economy and health.
Sincerely,
Frances Gulland, Vet. M.B., Ph.D.
Chair, Marine Mammal Commission
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