Marine Mammal Managemengt In The U.S Flashcards
When was the Marine Mammal Protection Act passed in the U.S
1972
When was the Endangered Species Act passed?
1973
(Only listed species)
Why was the Marine Mammal Protection Act passed?
In response to public concern over the:
- Over-exploitation of baleen whales
- Mortality of dolphins in ETP (purse seine fishery)
- Canadian harvest of harp seal pups
What are the fundamental objectives of the Marine Mammal Protection Act?
1: Maintain stocks of marine mammals at their optimum sustainable populations (OSP)
2: Maintain marine mammal stocks as functioning elements of their ecosystems
Describe the split jurisdiction of the MMPA
- Two different government agencies manage different species
- 1: National Marine Fisheries Service (Department of Commerce) - Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises, Seals and Sea Lions
2: U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of Interior) - Manatees, Polar Bears, Sea Otters, Walrus
Some co-management with states and native organizations
How many titles are in the MMPA?
4
What are the 4 titles of the MMPA?
- Title I: Conservation and Protection of Marine Mammals
- Title II: Marine Mammal Commission
- Title III: International Dolphin Conservation Program
- Title IV: Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response
Describe title I of the MMPA?
- Prohibits the taking of marine mammals
- Take means to harass, hunt, capture or kill
What are the exceptions to title I of the MMPA?
- Scientific research
- Public display
- Commercial fisheries (under certain conditions)
- Industrial and military activities
- Subsistence harvest
Describe title II of the MMPA
- Establishes the Marine Mammal Commission
- Independent body to overview implementation of the MMPA
- Advises congress on actions required to implement the act
- Recommendations made = available to the public (annual report to congress)
Describe the composition of the marine mammal commission
- 3 Commissioners
- 9 Scientific advisors
- Staff
Describe title III of the MMPA?
- Addresses the interactions between pelagic dolphins and the Eastern Tropical Pacific yellowfin tuna purse seine fishery
- Establishes limits on dolphin mortality in this fishery
- Establishes specific requirements for observers and research programs
- Establishes limitations on the importation of tuna harvested by fisheries of other nations (the “dolphin safe requirement”)
Describe tittle IV of the MMPA?
- Standardizes procedure for collecting data on stranding events (gives you a lot of basic information about the mammal in question (level A data))
- Establishes procedure for rescuing and rehabilitating stranded marine mammals
- Co-ordinates effective responses to UME’s
When were the two MMPA reauthorizations?
- 1988
- 1994
Describe the 1988 MMPA reauthorization?
- Provided an interim exemption to commercial fisheries
- Allowed NMFS / FWS time to conduct stock assessments
Describe the 1994 reauthorization of the MMPA?
- Established a new regime governing interactions with commercial fisheries (section 118)
What is section 118 of the 1994 reauthorization of the MPA?
The goal of section 118 was to reduce mortality to below potential biological removal (PBR) by preparing stock assessment reports for all marine mammal stocks
What is potential biological removal (PBR)?
Tells you how many individuals can be removed without harming the stock of the species
PBR = (Nmin) x (1/2 rmax) x (Fr)
- Nmin = minimum population estimate
- rmax = maximum rate of increase
- Fr = recovery factor
What happens when anthropogenic mortality > PBR
Stock is considered strategic
If a stock is strategic, what protocol is the government required to take?
- Review stock assessment annually
- Establish a take reduction team (fishermen, scientists, managers)
- Prepare a take reduction plan
- Reduce anthropogenic mortality < PBR within 6 months
What are some ongoing challenges that the MMPA has not been able to solve?
- Indirect impacts on marine mammals (ex: anthropogenic sound, disease, prey depletion)
- Protecting large whales from fisheries interactions or ship strikes in the Northwestern Atlantic
Describe the legacy of the MMPA?
- First federal legislation to adopt an ecosystem approach (goal = to maintain marine mammals as functional parts of the ecosystem)
- Embraced the precautionary principle
- Recognized the non-consumptive value of marine wildlife
- Served as a model for legislation in other countries
What is the goal of the Endangered Species Act?
Conserve the most threatened marine mammals
What are the IUCN Red List categories?
- Extinct
- Extinct in the wild
- Critically endangered
- Endangered
- Vulnerable
- Lower risk
- Data deficient
What are some critically endangered marine mammal species?
- Vaquita
- North Atlantic Right Whale
- Mediterranean Monk Seal
What are the two categories of the ESA?
- Endangered
- Threatened
IUCN Red List = threatened
Describe an endangered species
Any species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or part of its range (ex: Hawaiian Monk Seal)
Describe a threatened species
Any species that is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future (ex: bearded seal)
What causes a marine mammal to be listed under the endangered species act?
- Destruction of habitat
- Overexploitation
- Disease or predation
- Inadequate regulatory protection
- Case by case situations
What is the purpose of the ESA?
- Provide a means whereby ecosystems of threatened and endangered species may be conserved
- Provide a program for the conservation of threatened and endangered species
- Take steps to achieve purposes of relevant treaties and conventions
What is a species under the ESA?
A species includes:
- Any subspecies of fish or wildlife or plants
- Any distinct population segment of any species of vertebrate fish or wildlife which interbreeds when mature
- Ex: southern resident killer whales
How are “takes” regulated under the ESA?
Under the ESA “takes” of any endangered species are prohibited in the U.S, its territorial seas or the high seas
What habitats are included in the ESA?
- Any habitat modification that kills or injures wildlife
- Sections 3 and 4 require the federal government to designate “critical habitat” for endangered and threatened species
- Section 5 authorizes the federal government to acquire land for habitat protection (this very rarely happened)
Describe the recovery plans required under the ESA
- Section 4 directs the USFWS / NMFS to develop and implement a recovery plan unless a plan will not promote the conservation of a species
What should a recovery plan consist of?
Recovery plans should identify specific tasks necessary to recover a species to a stage where it can be downlisted or delisted
Who develops recovery plans under the ESA?
- Species experts
- Interested agencies
- Organizations
- Individuals who public review and comment
Do large or small cetaceans have the highest proportion of endangered stocks
Large cetaceans
What are some primary threats to the Hawaiian Monk Seal?
- Starvation due to food limitation
- Marine debris
- Predation (sharks)
- Human interaction
What are some primary threats to Sei Whales?
- Ship strikes
- Entanglement in fishing gear
- Reduced or displaced prey abundance
- Illegal whaling
- Anthropogenic noise
What are some problems with the ESA?
- Many species = listed too late resulting in “train wrecks” (hard to stop at the last minute)
- Listing and delisting criteria = poorly defined
- Much of the focus is on single, high profile, charismatic species
- Critical habitat is rarely designated or protected
- Funding is insufficient to achieve recovery
What are some of the successes of the ESA?
- Extinction of many species has been prevented
- Delisting / downlisting of more than 20 species
