Reducing Marine Mammal Bycatch by Developing Model Legislation (2020-2021)
The Marine Mammal Protect Act (MMPA) Import Provisions Rule is a multi-faceted recent regulation that has implications for marine mammal conservation, international relations and policy development globally. This project team addressed the scientific, policy and trade aspects of the regulations.
Team members reviewed the status of existing laws and regulations in the top 10 seafood export nations to the U.S. The team also reviewed marine mammal bycatch in top fishing nations and exporters. Team members conducted statistical analyses on the List of Foreign Fisheries – a critical component of the MMPA Import Provisions Rule, and developed the building blocks of key considerations for nations wishing to comply with the Import Rule. Their research culminated in a manuscript for publication and recommendations for export nations to comply with the Import Provisions Rule.
Timing
Summer 2020 – Spring 2021
Team Outputs
“Will Unilateral Action Improve the Global Conservation Status of Marine Mammals? A First Analysis of the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act’s Import Provisions Rule,” Marine Policy (forthcoming)
Meeting with NGOs about project results (April 2021)
This Team in the News
Meet the Students Who Won the 2021 DUCIGS Awards
Image from NOAA Fisheries website