Number: 1980-45
WHEREAS, marine mammals are ecologically significant functioning elements of coastal marine systems in Alaska; and
WHEREAS, marine mammals are of vital importance to health and welfare of coastal settlements in Alaska; and
WHEREAS, marine mammals may significantly interact with commercially important fish species, and in some areas produce serious marine mammal/fisheries conflicts; and
WHEREAS, implementation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 has imposed undesirable legal and bureaucratic constraints which prevent the implementation of sound policies of resource management required to maintain health and stability of the marine ecosystem; and
WHEREAS, except for fur seal and the great whales, the Federal Government has demonstrated its unwillingness and inability to properly manage Alaska’s marine mammal resources; and
WHEREAS, it appears that the State of Alaska has exhausted all legal and administrative options available in its attempts to return management authority for nine species of coastal marine mammals to the State;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Wildlife Federation, in Annual Meeting assembled March 20-23, 1980, in Miami Beach, Fla., hereby seeks corrective amendments to the Marine Mammals Protection Act which will facilitate the sound management of Alaska’s marine mammal resources and assure the health and stability of the marine ecosystem.