For over 50 years, a landmark piece of legislation known as the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) has been saving species such as whales, dolphins, sea otters, polar bears, and seals from extinction.
Enacted in 1972, one year before the Endangered Species Act, this bedrock animal protection law made it illegal to hunt, harass, capture, or kill any marine mammal in U.S. waters and prohibited the import or export of their body parts or products. It also established a framework for the long-term conservation of species that had been driven to the brink of extinction, including humpback, blue, and fin whales, whose populations had been decimated by decades of industrial whaling. The law’s passage marked a turning point in how the United States viewed and valued marine life, and a shift from exploitation to stewardship.
More than five decades later, the MMPA remains as critical as ever. It continues to safeguard vulnerable species and their habitats amid mounting threats from climate change, entanglement in fishing gear, ship strikes, and ocean noise pollution. The law is credited with the ongoing survival of North Atlantic right whales, one of the most endangered whale species on Earth, with only about 360 individuals remaining.
Now, Republicans in Congress, led by Rep. Nick Begich of Alaska, are attempting to weaken this crucial protection at the behest of the commercial fishing industry. Over the summer, Begich introduced a bill that would make dangerous changes to the MMPA, including lowering the standard for what constitutes harm to marine mammals, and reducing population thresholds from levels that ensure “maximum productivity” to the bare minimum needed for “continued survival.”
Begich’s bill falsely claims that the MMPA has “unduly and unnecessarily constrained government, tribes, and the regulated community.” In truth, the Act already includes clear carve-outs for Indigenous subsistence hunting, scientific research, and permits for industries such as fishing, energy, and shipping that might unintentionally “take” marine mammals. This law has always struck a fair balance between human activity and wildlife conservation while providing lasting protections for countless species.
We cannot allow anti-animal interests in Congress to undo half a century of progress by undermining the Marine Mammal Protection Act, especially at a time when marine life faces unprecedented threats. Please join Species Unite in urging Congress to reject any legislative attacks on this vital law.
If you live in the United States, send a message to your representatives to let them know why defending the MMPA is so important.
If you live outside the U.S., you can help by sharing this petition on social media to raise awareness of this urgent issue.
