Purpose: The Marine Mammal Protection Act (“MMPA”), which was enacted in 1972, establishes essential protections for marine mammals and the marine ecosystems of which they are a part. Among other provisions, the MMPA provides a moratorium on the importation or taking of marine mammals (where “taking” includes harassing, hunting, capturing or killing) with certain exceptions which require authorization. The MMPA also addresses “incidental take” in fisheries, such as dolphin deaths associated with tuna fishing. H.R. 2693 would amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act to decrease government oversight of industries that use marine mammals. For example, H.R. 2693 re-defines “harassment” so that many activities which currently require authorization instead would be able to proceed without government oversight as well as weakening some of the restrictions on the “incidental take” of marine mammals.
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Status: Reported favorably, as amended, by the House Committee on Resources. Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 268, 04/20/04.
Action: OPPOSE. The changes proposed under H.R. 2693 are part of a disturbing recent history of decreased government oversight of the $1 billion a year marine park industry. Instead of lessening government oversight, Congress should be increasing it. More than 3,800 sea lions, seals, dolphins and whales have died while in the control of humans. Almost a quarter of these animals died before they were one year old and almost half died by the age of 7. It is not enough to allow this industry to self-regulate.