What Has the Marine Mammal Commission Ever Done for Me?

By Mark J. Palmer

Today in Congress, the House Appropriations Committee will be debating and voting on the budget for the US Department of Commerce, which includes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS: responsible for both fisheries and the welfare of whales and dolphins under the Marine Mammal Protection Act - MMPA), and the US Marine Mammal Commission.

A few months ago, we highlighted the dangers of budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration that would severely restrict the conservation measures applied to protect marine mammals at NOAA and NMFS.

The good news is that both the House and the Senate have actually proposed restoring a lot of the budget for NOAA, especially trying to protect the work of the National Weather Service, which is critical to alerting the public about hurricanes, tornadoes, and heat waves.

The Trump administration, as part of its austere budget, has proposed eliminating one of the best services of the MMPA – the independent Marine Mammal Commission.

The Commission was established by Congress with the passage of the MMPA in 1972. It consists of the Commission of three scientists, supported by staff including scientists and legal counsel.

The Commission is an advisory body to NMFS and other federal agencies on policy surrounding marine mammals and their protection, as mandated by the MMPA.

This was an important decision. NMFS was, in 1972, strictly an agency that oversaw commercial fishing and maintained fish populations. As one might expect, few in the agency were familiar with the needs of marine mammals. Some were (and still are) downright hostile to marine mammals because they interfere with commercial fishing.

The Marine Mammal Commission provides extensive scientific expertise on marine mammals for NMFS and other agencies. The Commission also offers detailed reviews of proposals, like fishing techniques and the likely impacts of construction projects (think offshore wind or oil drilling) on marine mammals.

The Commission explains: “The Commission’s work is directed at restoring and maintaining global marine mammal populations as significant functioning elements of healthy marine ecosystems for future generations. The Commission provides independent, science-based oversight of domestic and international policies and actions, thereby promoting effective implementation of the MMPA and its goals of protecting and conserving marine mammals and their habitat.”

Through the years, the Commission’s recommendations, justified by science, have helped address issues that threaten marine mammals with alternative approaches and warnings about the potential dangers of federal actions on the ocean.

The Commission’s advice has been incredibly useful for many marine mammal species and is valued by both NMFS, fishermen, Congress, and environmentalists.

In fiscal year 2025, the Commission was provided $5 million by Congress for its work, a pittance in the national budget.

But this year, the administration’s budget proposal would shut down the Commission (a legally dubious proposition, as the Commission was established by Congress, not the administration) and only provide $1 million for closing it down.

It is not yet clear that Congress will protect the Marine Mammal Commission.

The Commission is a vital source of information and scientific expertise to help restore whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals in our oceans.

What You Can Do:

You can contact your elected representatives in Congress.

Urge your Congressmember and your two Senators to fully fund the US Marine Mammal Commission during budget voting on the Commerce Department’s funding for fy 2026, and to oppose any attempts to remove the Commission.

While you are at it, you can encourage them to protect the US Marine Mammal Protection Act, which is also under fire from the anti-marine mammal lobbyists.

For information on contacting your two Senators in Washington DC, go here.

For information on contacting your member of the House of Representatives, go here.

(HINT: Most websites for each Representative and Senator will have a CONTACT page with information on how to contact them, usually including a form for emails.)

You can also call the Capitol Switchboard (1) 202-224-3121 and ask the operator to connect you with your Representative’s or Senator’s office:

Address Letters to:

Your Representative (Rep. John Doe)

House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

Your Senator (Senator John Doe)

Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Thank you for your support for our wildlife heritage!

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There are so many issues about whales and dolphins going on now, and these magnificent and sentient animals are in the crosshairs of many adversaries – the oil & plastics industry; polluters; fishermen with plastic entangling gear; ships moving too fast; and outright slaughter as we saw last week in Taiji, Japan. You are the key to successful protection of whales and dolphins and their ocean homes. A donation to the International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute will help marine mammals in myriad ways. Thank you for your support!