Marine Mammal Managemengt In The U.S

Question 1

When was the Marine Mammal Protection Act passed in the U.S

Answer 1

1972

Question 2

When was the Endangered Species Act passed?

Answer 2

1973
(Only listed species)

Question 3

Why was the Marine Mammal Protection Act passed?

Answer 3

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

Question 4

What are the fundamental objectives of the Marine Mammal Protection Act?

Answer 4

1: Maintain stocks of marine mammals at their optimum sustainable populations (OSP)
2: Maintain marine mammal stocks as functioning elements of their ecosystems

Question 5

Describe the split jurisdiction of the MMPA

Answer 5

• 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

Question 6

How many titles are in the MMPA?

Answer 6

4

Question 7

What are the 4 titles of the MMPA?

Answer 7

• 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

Question 8

Describe title I of the MMPA?

Answer 8

• Prohibits the taking of marine mammals
• Take means to harass, hunt, capture or kill

Question 9

What are the exceptions to title I of the MMPA?

Answer 9

• Scientific research
• Public display
• Commercial fisheries (under certain conditions)
• Industrial and military activities
• Subsistence harvest

Question 10

Describe title II of the MMPA

Answer 10

• 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)

Question 11

Describe the composition of the marine mammal commission

Answer 11

• 3 Commissioners
• 9 Scientific advisors
• Staff

Question 12

Describe title III of the MMPA?

Answer 12

• 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”)

Question 13

Describe tittle IV of the MMPA?

Answer 13

• 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

Question 14

When were the two MMPA reauthorizations?

Answer 14

• 1988
• 1994

Question 15

Describe the 1988 MMPA reauthorization?

Answer 15

• Provided an interim exemption to commercial fisheries
• Allowed NMFS / FWS time to conduct stock assessments

Question 16

Describe the 1994 reauthorization of the MMPA?

Answer 16

• Established a new regime governing interactions with commercial fisheries (section 118)

Question 17

What is section 118 of the 1994 reauthorization of the MPA?

Answer 17

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

Question 18

What is potential biological removal (PBR)?

Answer 18

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

Question 19

What happens when anthropogenic mortality > PBR

Answer 19

Stock is considered strategic

Question 20

If a stock is strategic, what protocol is the government required to take?

Answer 20

• Review stock assessment annually
• Establish a take reduction team (fishermen, scientists, managers)
• Prepare a take reduction plan
• Reduce anthropogenic mortality < PBR within 6 months

Question 21

What are some ongoing challenges that the MMPA has not been able to solve?

Answer 21

• Indirect impacts on marine mammals (ex: anthropogenic sound, disease, prey depletion)
• Protecting large whales from fisheries interactions or ship strikes in the Northwestern Atlantic

Question 22

Describe the legacy of the MMPA?

Answer 22

• 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

Question 23

What is the goal of the Endangered Species Act?

Answer 23

Conserve the most threatened marine mammals

Question 24

What are the IUCN Red List categories?

Answer 24

• Extinct
• Extinct in the wild
• Critically endangered
• Endangered
• Vulnerable
• Lower risk
• Data deficient

Question 25

What are some critically endangered marine mammal species?

Answer 25

- Vaquita - North Atlantic Right Whale - Mediterranean Monk Seal

Question 26

What are the two categories of the ESA?

Answer 26

1. Endangered 2. Threatened *IUCN Red List = threatened*

Question 27

Describe an endangered species

Answer 27

Any species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or part of its range (ex: Hawaiian Monk Seal)

Question 28

Describe a threatened species

Answer 28

Any species that is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future (ex: bearded seal)

Question 29

What causes a marine mammal to be listed under the endangered species act?

Answer 29

- Destruction of habitat - Overexploitation - Disease or predation - Inadequate regulatory protection - Case by case situations

Question 30

What is the purpose of the ESA?

Answer 30

- 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

Question 31

What is a species under the ESA?

Answer 31

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

Question 32

How are “takes” regulated under the ESA?

Answer 32

Under the ESA “takes” of any endangered species are prohibited in the U.S, its territorial seas or the high seas

Question 33

What habitats are included in the ESA?

Answer 33

- 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)

Question 34

Describe the recovery plans required under the ESA

Answer 34

- Section 4 directs the USFWS / NMFS to develop and implement a recovery plan unless a plan will not promote the conservation of a species

Question 35

What should a recovery plan consist of?

Answer 35

Recovery plans should identify specific tasks necessary to recover a species to a stage where it can be downlisted or delisted

Question 36

Who develops recovery plans under the ESA?

Answer 36

- Species experts - Interested agencies - Organizations - Individuals who public review and comment

Question 37

Do large or small cetaceans have the highest proportion of endangered stocks

Answer 37

Large cetaceans

Question 38

What are some primary threats to the Hawaiian Monk Seal?

Answer 38

- Starvation due to food limitation - Marine debris - Predation (sharks) - Human interaction

Question 39

What are some primary threats to Sei Whales?

Answer 39

- Ship strikes - Entanglement in fishing gear - Reduced or displaced prey abundance - Illegal whaling - Anthropogenic noise

Question 40

What are some problems with the ESA?

Answer 40

- 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

Question 41

What are some of the successes of the ESA?

Answer 41

- Extinction of many species has been prevented - Delisting / downlisting of more than 20 species