Marine Mammal Protection | NOAA Fisheries

Marine Mammal Protection | NOAA Fisheries
Marine Mammal Protection
Marine Mammal Protection
NOAA Fisheries works to help all marine mammals protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, and other laws and policies.
Marine mammals are mammals that rely on the ocean to survive. They include whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions, walruses, polar bears, sea otters, manatees, and dugongs. Some are fully aquatic, such as whales and dolphins. Others, such as seals and sea lions, spend most of their time in water but return to land or ice for activities such as resting or giving birth. Marine mammals are vital to the balance of marine ecosystems and are key indicators of the overall health of the ocean.
All marine mammals are protected
under the
Marine Mammal Protection Act
. Some are also protected under the
Endangered Species Act
and the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
With some exceptions, the MMPA prohibits the “take” of marine mammals—including harassment, hunting, capturing, collecting, or killing—in U.S. waters and by U.S. citizens on the high seas. The act also makes it illegal to import marine mammals and marine mammal products into the United States without a permit.
Learn more about the MMPA
Our Work Under the MMPA
Our work to protect and conserve marine mammal species includes:
Managing the take of marine mammals through
permits and authorizations
(sections 101 and 104 of the MMPA)
Investigating and prosecuting violations of the MMPA (section 107).
Partnering with other nations
to
make sure they hold international fishing to our standards according to the MMPA (section 108).
Evaluating the status of marine mammals to determine whether they should be designated as depleted and
developing conservation plans for depleted species
or stocks (section 115).
Developing stock assessment reports
—with
scientific information on a species' or stock’s geographic range, population structure, abundance, and threats—to evaluate stock status
(section 117).
Managing incidental marine mammal interactions with commercial fisheries through authorization and reporting
, by assessing the level of
mortality and injury in commercial fisheries
, and by developing
take reduction plans
(section 118).
Collaborating with Alaska Native organizations to conserve marine mammal populations in Alaska
(section 119).
Coordinating a national network to respond to marine mammal strandings
(section 403).
Investigating and responding to
marine mammal unusual mortality events
(section 404).
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More Information
Marine Mammal Stock Assessments
Marine Life Viewing Guidelines
Marine Life in Distress
Bycatch
Permits and Authorizations
International Cooperation
Full Text of Marine Mammal Protection Act
Notices & Rules
Protected Resources
Incidental Take Authorization: Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to the Francis Scott Key Bridge Rebuild Project in Baltimore, Maryland
New England/Mid-Atlantic
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Protected Resources
Incidental Take Authorization: Tradepoint TiL Terminal, LLC's Sparrows Point Container Terminal Project in Baltimore County, MD
New England/Mid-Atlantic
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Protected Resources
Incidental Take Authorization: Turnagain Marine Construction's Aak’w Landing Development Project in Juneau, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska
Protected Resources
Incidental Take Authorization: Point Blue Conservation Science’s Seabird Research Activities on the South Farallon Islands, Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, as well as at partner sites on Año Nuevo Island and the Point Reyes Headlands
West Coast
West Coast
Protected Resources
Incidental Take Authorization: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory's Marine Geophysical Survey in the Western Central Atlantic Ocean
New England/Mid-Atlantic
New England/Mid-Atlantic
More Fisheries Notices & Rules
More Protected Resources Regs & Actions
Upcoming Events
There are currently no upcoming events.
More Events
Open Funding Opportunities
There are currently no open funding opportunities.
More Opportunities
FACT
All marine mammals are protected under the MMPA
All marine mammal species found in U.S. waters are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, as well as marine mammals listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act worldwide. The MMPA prohibits, with certain exceptions, the "
take
" of marine mammals in U.S. waters and by U.S. citizens on the high seas, and the importation of marine mammals and marine mammal products into the United States.
FACT
3 federal agencies are charged with administering the MMPA
NOAA Fisheries
is charged with protecting whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea lions. Walrus, manatees, sea otters, and polar bears are protected by the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
. The
Marine Mammal Commission
provides independent, science-based oversight of federal agencies’ policies and actions addressing human impacts on marine mammals and their ecosystems. Additionally, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, under the Department of Agriculture, is responsible for regulations managing marine mammals in captivity under the Animal Welfare Act.
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Stock Assessments
NOAA Fisheries scientists collect and analyze data on the marine mammal populations we manage. We gather information on a species' or stock’s population structure, life history characteristics and productivity rates, abundance, and threats—particularly those caused by human activities. We publish this information, and our analyses, in annual stock assessment reports.
Find marine mammal stock assessment reports
Permits and Authorizations
The MMPA generally prohibits the "take" of marine mammals
(e.g., harassment, hunting, capturing, collecting, or killing).
The act also makes it illegal to import or export marine mammals and marine mammal products into or out of the United States without a permit or other applicable authorization.
NOAA Fisheries authorizes take for certain activities, for example, scientific research, commercial and educational photography, and incidental take during commercial fishing operations and other non-fishery commercial activities like construction projects.
Learn more about permits and authorizations
Take Reduction Planning
Fisheries bycatch is the greatest direct cause of marine mammal death and injury. To address this threat, NOAA Fisheries develops and implements take reduction plans
plans to mitigate marine mammal death and serious injury in commercial fisheries to help stocks recover. Teams of scientists, members of the fishing industry, representatives of environmental groups, and resource managers work together to develop these plans. The teams design each plan to reduce bycatch within a specific timeframe through a combination of voluntary and regulatory measures.
Learn more about take reduction planning
Marine Mammal Authorization Program
The MMPA prohibits killing or injuring marine mammals, except under certain circumstances. This program provides an annual exemption for the incidental mortality or injury of marine mammals that occurs during commercial fishing. This exemption does not include marine mammal stocks listed as endangered or threatened under the
Endangered Species Act
—incidental take of these species must be permitted separately
Learn more about the Marine Mammal Authorization Program
Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program
Sometimes marine mammals are found in distress—sick, injured, or dead. The cause is often unknown, but sometimes it is shown to be disease, ship strikes, entanglements in marine debris or fishing gear, harmful algal blooms, pollution exposure, or other trauma. NOAA Fisheries works with trained partners in every coastal state to respond to reports of marine mammals in distress, assess the animals’ condition, and (in certain cases) try to rehabilitate or move them. If a marine mammal is dead, responders may perform a necropsy—an animal autopsy—to learn more. The valuable biological information collected during stranding responses helps us make better management decisions for marine mammal conservation.
Marine mammals are mammals like us, and several species live in coastal waters that people use, and forage on some of the same fish that people consume. As such, they can help serve as indicators of ocean health, giving insight into larger environmental issues, which may also have implications for human health and welfare
Learn more about the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program
Unusual Mortality Events
When marine mammal stranding rates are higher than usual, the MMPA sets out a process to evaluate strandings and determine whether they should be designated as unusual mortality events, which triggers a specific investigative response. UMEs can be caused by either natural or human factors, such as disease outbreaks, biotoxins from harmful algal blooms, oceanographic events, pollution, vessel strikes, and entanglement in fishing gear or marine debris.
Learn more about unusual mortality events
Understanding Marine Mammal Protections
Learn how NOAA Fisheries protects all marine mammals under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Multimedia
NOAA Fisheries Video Gallery
Podcast
Gray Whales on the Rebound: Signs of Hope Despite Challenges
West Coast
Video
Listening for Whales: Using Passive Acoustic Monitoring to Track North Atlantic Right Whales
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Southeast
A Bryde’s whale photographed in the Mariana Archipelago. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Adam Ü (NOAA Fisheries MMPA-ESA Permit #14097)
Podcast
AI Identifies Mysterious Whale Calls
Pacific Islands
Conservation and Management
Three federal agencies share responsibility for the protection and conservation of marine mammals.
NOAA Fisheries is responsible for the management of whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea lions.
The
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
is responsible for polar bears, walruses, sea otters, manatees, and dugongs.
The
Marine Mammal Commission
provides independent, science-based oversight of federal agencies’ policies and actions addressing human impacts on marine mammals and their ecosystems.
Marine Mammal Protection and Take Prohibitions
We are responsible for managing the taking of marine mammals through
permits and authorizations
. The
Marine Mammal Protection Act
generally prohibits the “take” of marine mammals—including harassment, hunting, capturing, collecting, or killing—in U.S. waters and by U.S. citizens on the high seas. The act makes some exceptions, though:
Permitted incidental take (e.g., unintentional take) in the commercial fishing industry, managed through the
Marine Mammal Authorization Program
Authorized incidental take
during non-fishing activities including oil and gas development, military readiness activities, renewable energy projects, construction projects, and research
Permitted directed take
and import for scientific research, enhancement, commercial or educational photography, and public display
Permitted import, export, and receipt of parts for scientific research.
Pre-act determinations for marine mammal parts taken before December 21, 1972
The prohibition generally does not apply to Alaska natives who live on the Alaskan coast. The
MMPA contains provisions allowing for take for subsistence use
, or to create and sell handicrafts and clothing without permits or authorizations.
Conservation Plans for Depleted Species
We are responsible for developing and implementing conservation plans for marine mammal species that are designated as "depleted".
Species or populations are considered depleted if they are below their optimum sustainable population level, or are listed as endangered or threatened under the
Endangered Species Act
Learn more about the conservation and management of depleted species
Commercial Fishing Interactions
Fisheries bycatch
is the greatest direct cause of marine mammal injury and death. NOAA Fisheries is engaged in many conservation and management actions to reduce the death or injury of marine mammals from commercial fishing operations.
Marine Mammal Authorization Program
NOAA Fisheries implements the Marine Mammal Authorization Program, which provides exemptions to certain commercial fisheries for the accidental injury or death of marine mammals during fishing operations. The MMPA mandates that each fishery be categorized according to how common these deaths or injuries are there: frequent, occasional, or only remotely likely. This information is published annually in the “
list of fisheries.
” A vessel owner or operator (or a fisherman working without a vessel) who works in certain categories on the list must register with the Marine Mammal Authorization Program. The program also requires that any death or injury of a marine mammal during commercial fishing operations must be reported to NOAA Fisheries.
View our List of Fisheries
Learn more about the Marine Mammal Authorization Program
Proposed guidelines for safely deterring marine mammals
Take Reduction Planning
NOAA Fisheries develops and implements take reduction plans to minimize bycatch of
strategic marine mammal stocks
. Each plan is designed to minimize serious injuries and deaths through a combination of voluntary and regulatory measures.
Learn more about the Marine Mammal Take Reduction Program
Fishing Gear Modification
To reduce marine mammal bycatch, NOAA Fisheries works with the fishing industry to modify fishing gear and fishing practices. Fishermen and
fishery observers
report marine mammals’ interactions with fishing gear. Scientists and managers then work with fishermen and gear designers to find ways to reduce marine mammal injury and mortality.
Learn more about fishing gear and risks to protected species
Learn more about the Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program
International Fishing Operations
We are also working to reduce marine mammal bycatch associated with international commercial fishing by holding nations exporting fish and fish products to the United States to the same standards as U.S. commercial fishing operations. Nations wishing to export fish and fish products to the United States have until 2022 to meet similar marine mammal protection standards to those in place for U.S. fisheries.
Learn more about seafood import requirements
Learn more about Dolphin Safe Tuna (Tuna Tracking and Verification Program)
Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response
NOAA Fisheries coordinates the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program, which works
with trained partners in every coastal state to respond to reports of animals in distress and assess their condition when they are found sick, injured, or dead. Data are collected for inclusion in a national database, contributing to our understanding of marine mammal communities and helping us monitor the health of their populations.
The program has the following components:
Volunteer stranding response networks managed through a
national coordinator and regional coordinators
Investigations of
unusual mortality events
Collection and cryogenic
storage of marine mammal tissue
collected during strandings
Biomonitoring
Analytical quality assurance
Learn more about the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program
Learn more about our stranding network partners
Preventing Harassment
Feeding or closely interacting with wild animals changes their behavior and puts them at risk. Under the MMPA,
it is illegal to feed, attempt to feed, or otherwise harass marine mammals in the wild
There are many ways to
view marine mammals responsibly
and enjoy their natural behaviors—we have developed regulations and guidelines with specific recommendations and distances for viewing whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions, and other marine animals. Our
law enforcement officers
work with the U.S. Coast Guard and state natural resource enforcement agencies to ensure compliance and take action when these laws are broken.
Learn more about why it's illegal to feed or harass marine mammals in the wild
Conservation and Management in Protecting Marine Mammals
NOAA Fisheries works to protect, conserve, and manage marine mammals through permits and authorizations, take reduction plans, and more.
More Information
Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program
John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program
Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Contingency Fund
Sea Lions at Bonneville Dam
MMPA Regulations, Policies, and Guidance
Science
Science is critical to understanding the needs and status of marine mammal populations, as well as the threats to their health and well-being. NOAA Fisheries pursues a scientific understanding of these topics because it is essential to conservation efforts. Examples of our work include assessing and monitoring marine mammal stocks, researching disease agents (e.g., pathogens, parasites, and harmful algal blooms), and developing gear modifications to reduce entanglement and bycatch.
Stock Assessments
The
Marine Mammal Protection Act
defines a marine mammal stock as a group of individuals “of the same species or smaller taxa in a common spatial arrangement that interbreed when mature.” Assessing stocks gives us valuable information on marine mammal population trends, productivity rates, estimates of human-caused mortality and other sources of serious injury, and more. It allows us to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation and recovery measures, and to adjust management approaches as needed.
Stock assessment reports for all marine mammals in U.S. waters were first required when the MMPA was amended in 1994. Since that time, all stocks have been reviewed at least every three years or as new information becomes available. Stocks that are
designated as strategic
are reviewed annually. Each draft stock assessment report is peer-reviewed by one of three regional
Scientific Review Groups
and revised and published after a public comment period.
Data collection, analysis, and interpretation are conducted through marine mammal research programs at each of our
Fisheries Science Centers
and by other researchers.
Learn more about marine mammal stock assessments
Find the most recent stock assessment reports
Field Surveys
Ship-based and aerial surveys are critical to achieving our marine mammal population assessment goals, which include estimating abundance and examining trends and human impacts relative to management objectives. Our
science centers
conduct and manage a limited number of marine mammal surveys each year, often with external collaborators. The number of surveys depends on funding and available ship time and flight time.
Learn more about our surveys
Ocean Acoustics
The efficiency of sound travel under water has led to increasing concern over how artificial sound potentially impacts the underwater environment. Our scientists support and conduct research to examine these potential impacts on marine animals and to increase understanding of:
How marine animals use sound
How underwater acoustics can be used to assess marine animal populations
How and to what degree human activities are changing the underwater soundscape
How these changes may potentially impact marine animals in their acoustic habitat
What measures can be taken to mitigate potential impacts
Learn more about ocean acoustics
Climate and Ecosystem Science
Understanding climate change impacts on living marine resource distribution and occurrence patterns is a high priority for NOAA Fisheries. We know relatively little about the effects of global and regional climate dynamics on species distribution, abundance, and prey availability. The
Arctic
in particular is a window to changing climate patterns and a suitable biological laboratory to observe and record the impacts of receding sea ice, warming sea surface temperatures, and variable energy flow. These impacts all affect key marine ecosystem functions and native tribal communities that depend on Arctic resources for their livelihood and sustenance.
Learn more about climate-related changes in ocean ecosystems
Bycatch Reduction
Reducing bycatch of protected species can improve the recovery of marine mammals. Together with the fishing industry, we work to minimize bycatch by developing technological solutions and changes in fishing practices. These include gear modifications, avoidance programs, and/or improved fishing practices in commercial and recreational fisheries.
Learn more about the Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program
Marine Mammal Health and Strandings
Marine mammal health is a key indicator of the overall health of our oceans. We and our
stranding network partners
perform vital research into causes of death and emerging diseases in marine mammals.
This enables biologists to monitor the health of species populations and identify threats. They perform necropsies on freshly dead animals whenever possible. Blood serum, blubber, and tissue tests can provide information on contaminant loads and pathogens. During examinations, biologists also look for clues such as evidence of blunt force trauma (which can be an indicator of ship strikes) or signs of entanglement and fishery interactions. Data from stranding events are collected in a national database, and the information is used to increase our understanding of marine mammal communities and to monitor the health of their populations.
Learn more about the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program
Photo-Identification Surveys
Marine mammals can often be identified by markings such as blemishes, fin nicks and notches, and scars. Several research programs rely on these markings—visible in images obtained during photo-identification surveys—to distinguish and catalog individual animals.
Learn more about the FinBase photo-identification database system
Economics Research
Species valuation studies enable us to assess the national benefits derived from protected species including marine mammals such as whales, porpoises, and sea lions. Protecting a species through
laws and policies
implies that society considers these species to be valuable. Economics can be used to assess the value that people have for preserving a species for future generations regardless of whether they ever view the species or not.
Learn more about p
rotected species economics research
Advanced Technologies
Learn about
other advanced technologies
used by our scientists—including drones, satellite tagging and tracking, and genetic research—to study marine mammals and other ocean animals.
Marine Mammal Protection Science
Stock assessments, field surveys, and other scientific research are vital to understanding the needs of marine animals and threats to their health.
More Information
Guidelines for Assessing Marine Mammal Stocks
Stock Assessment Reports
Marine Mammal Acoustic Technical Guidance
Scientific Research Permits
Our Partners
Conservation groups; academia; tribal nations; and federal, state, and local governments all make important contributions to the protection and conservation of marine mammals. We collaborate with these organizations to minimize harmful effects on marine mammals and work toward their recovery. Together, we and our partners develop and implement conservation strategies, review and make recommendations on activities to help reduce harm to marine mammals, and provide grants to support marine mammal stranding response around the country.  Some of our key partners in protecting marine mammals include:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Marine Mammal Commission
U.S. Coast Guard
(PDF, 12 pages)
International Whaling Commission
Marine Mammal Stranding Network
Every year there are thousands of reports of stranded marine mammals throughout the United States. We rely on a national network of stranding responders to respond to these events, investigate, and collect valuable data.
Stranding networks have been established in every coastal state
and are largely volunteer. Through a
national coordinator and five regional coordinators
, NOAA Fisheries oversees, coordinates, and authorizes these activities and trains personnel.
Public contributions help fund some of our network partners, and some receive program funds from parent agencies or organizations. As network participants, they are eligible to compete for federal funds through the
Prescott grant program
to support special studies or supplement basic operations.
Learn more about the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program
Co-Management with Alaska Native Organizations
Co-management involves collaboration between the federal government and Alaska Native organizations to conserve marine mammal populations in Alaska.
Co-management efforts have integrated the field skills and traditional/indigenous knowledge of Alaska Native hunters with the scientific and technological expertise of NOAA scientists to better our understanding of marine mammals: their stock structure, status, trends, movement and habitat-use patterns, responses to climate change, animal health and condition, contaminants, and disease. Sampling of Native-harvested animals for scientific purposes (biosampling) has provided tissues for a variety of studies. Education and outreach efforts have trained hunters in good hunting practices and biosampling, and familiarized Alaska Native youth with cultural and subsistence traditions. Such efforts contribute significantly to marine mammal conservation and the maintenance of subsistence cultures.
Learn more about the co-management of marine mammals in Alaska
NOAA's Partners in Protecting Marine Mammals
Learn how NOAA Fisheries partners with government agencies, tribal nations, and other organizations to protect and conserve marine mammals.
More Information
NOAA Fisheries' Partners
Marine Mammal Protection Resources
Find documents, data and maps, research, outreach and education materials, and other resources about marine mammal protection.
Documents
Document
Passive Acoustic Reporting System Templates
Template datasheets and guide for providing passive acoustic detection data.
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Document
Ariel Brewer Seminar Flyer
A flyer for presentation by Ariel Brewer during the 2025 Alaska Fisheries Science Center Seminar…
Alaska
Document
Molly McCormley Seminar Flyer
A flyer for presentation by Molly McCormley during the 2025 Alaska Fisheries Science Center Seminar…
Alaska
Document
2024 West Coast Whale Entanglement Summary
Each year, NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region collects, verifies, documents, and responds to reports…
West Coast
More Documents
Marine Mammal Protection Resources
Find documents, data and maps, research, outreach and education materials, and other resources about marine mammal protection.
Data & Maps
Data
2024 Gulf Of Alaska Ecosystem Status Report: In Brief
This assessment summarizes and synthesizes climate, biological, and fishing effects on the shelf…
Alaska
Data
2024 Eastern Bering Sea Ecosystem Status Report: In Brief
This assessment summarizes and synthesizes climate and fishing effects (historical and future) on…
Alaska
Data
Alaska Harbor Seal Data Sets
The Alaska Fisheries Science Center's harbor seal data sets are available on the NOAA Fisheries…
Alaska
Map
A Journey to Study Marine Mammals in the Gulf of America
Studying marine mammal distribution and abundance in the U.S. Gulf of America.
Southeast
More Data
More Maps
Marine Mammal Protection Resources
Find documents, data and maps, research, outreach and education materials, and other resources about marine mammal protection.
Research
On-Demand Gear Guide
A roadmap for providing fishermen an option to use on-demand fishing systems in the Greater Atlantic Region by 2028.
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Developing Viable On-Demand Gear Systems
On-demand gear development continues to evolve with the help of industry.
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Peer-Reviewed Research
Population Size Estimate for North Atlantic Right Whales
Population size estimation of North Atlantic right whales from 1990-2024.
New England/Mid-Atlantic
2024 Northeast Experimental On-Demand Gear System Testing Completed
We tested on-demand (also called ropeless) fishing gear in state and federal waters that are closed to lobster and Jonah crab fishing that use static vertical lines.
New England/Mid-Atlantic
More Research
Marine Mammal Protection Resources
Find documents, data and maps, research, outreach and education materials, and other resources about marine mammal protection.
Outreach & Education
Outreach Materials
Alaska Harbor Seal Approach Guidelines in Glacial Fjords
This brochure provides guidelines to inform vessel operators and the public how to be mindful of…
Alaska
Educational Materials
Marine Mammals of the U.S. West Coast Poster
A two-sided poster with illustrations of all West Coast Marine Mammals; large and small.
West Coast
Outreach Materials
How to Identify a North Pacific Right Whale?
North Pacific right whale right whales are incredibly rare. This guide helps you identify them, and…
Alaska
Outreach Materials
2025 Bowhead Abundance & Distribution Aerial Survey
Research brief.
Alaska
More Outreach Materials
More Educational Materials