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United States. Marine Mammal Commission

An independent federal agency, the Marine Mammal Commission was created by the Marine Mammal Protection Act in 1972 to give science-based oversight on how the U.S. government addresses human impacts on whales, seals, dolphins, and other marine mammals. Though small, it plays a distinctive role by reviewing policy, research, and management across the full range of marine mammal issues.

1 Audiobook

Humpback Whales in Glacier Bay National Monument, Alaska

Humpback Whales in Glacier Bay National Monument, Alaska

by United States. Marine Mammal Commission

About the author

The Marine Mammal Commission is an independent U.S. government agency established by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. Its core job is to provide independent, science-based oversight of federal policies and actions that affect marine mammals and their ecosystems.

The Commission describes its mission as helping ensure that marine mammal populations are restored and maintained as functioning parts of healthy marine ecosystems. Its structure is intentionally compact: three presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed Commissioners are supported by a Committee of Scientific Advisors and a small professional staff based in Bethesda, Maryland.

Over the decades, the Commission has built a reputation as a specialist oversight body rather than a frontline regulator. It publishes annual reports, factsheets, letters, and research-oriented materials, and its work spans domestic and international marine mammal conservation issues—from population health and habitat pressures to broader human impacts on ocean ecosystems.