On July 8, Congressman Nick Begich (R-AK) introduced a deeply troubling draft bill that threatens to weaken the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), a cornerstone of U.S. marine conservation that has safeguarded whales, dolphins, seals, and other marine mammals for over 50 years. This move signals a dangerous shift in policy that could roll back decades of protections for vulnerable marine life.
At a time when there are multiple attacks on the Endangered Species Act and mounting budget cuts to NOAA and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, this legislation could determine the fate of marine mammal species that sit on the precipice of extinction, including the North Atlantic right whale, Hawaiian monk seal, Southern Resident orcas, belugas, and polar bears. The proposed revisions would gut the MMPA’s core standards and create impossible hurdles for protecting imperiled marine mammals.
“The notion that this bill, or elements of this bill, could move forward and undermine all of the extraordinary efforts made since the MMPA was originally enacted in 1972 is heartbreaking,” said Kathleen Collins, Senior Marine Campaign Manager at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). “The blood of thousands of marine mammals will be on the hands of Congress, and the entire well-being of the ocean ecosystem could very well be altered.”
North Atlantic right whales are among the world’s most endangered marine mammals and would face severe impacts. Since 2017, these whales have suffered 157 fatalities or serious injuries due to vessel collisions and entanglements, affecting 42% of the population. Currently, only about 370 individuals remain in the wild.
According to the Orca Conservancy, the AT1 killer whale population, a rare group of orcas in Prince William Sound, was devastated by the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. Declared depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, this population hasn’t had a single birth since 1984 and is now considered functionally extinct in the wild. Their collapse is a haunting example of what happens when protections come too late or fail altogether. To prevent the same tragic fate for other at-risk populations, like the Southern Resident orcas, we need strong, science-based safeguards, such as those enshrined in the MMPA, now more than ever.
TAKE ACTION!
Alaskan Residents: Contact Congressman Nick Begich (R-AK) to express your opposition to his proposed draft bill that seeks to amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act by reducing its protective measures.
Anchorage Office: (907) 921-6575
Washington DC Office: (202) 225-5765
Non-Alaskan Residents: Contact your representatives and urge them not to support the proposed amendments.
Find your U.S. Representative HERE!
Due before July 22nd – House Natural Resources Committee Hearing Date
Contact The House Committee on Natural Resources HERE!
You can find suggested talking points HERE!
