Marine mammals are animals that rely on the ocean for their survival. They vary widely in taxa, habitat and behavior. Some are fully aquatic, such as manatees and porpoises, while others depend on the sea primarily for feeding, like polar bears and sea otters. Marine mammals play a vital role in the balance of marine ecosystems, particularly in the control of prey populations.
Unfortunately, many marine mammal species are facing declines due to exploitation, habitat loss or accidental by-catch (caught in the nets of fishermen fishing for other species).
Laws & Regulations
Credit: USFWS
All species of marine mammals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), and some are also protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). These animals include whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions, walrus, polar bears, sea and marine otters, dugongs, and manatees. Polar bears are provided additional protection under the International Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears, an agreement between the United States, Canada, Denmark, Norway, and Russia, which is implemented in the United States by the provisions of the MMPA.
The responsibilities for the protection, conservation, and management of marine mammals under the MMPA and ESA are shared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The Service implements CITES for the import and export of all marine mammal species. Below is a chart detailing the protections of marine mammals within the Service’s jurisdiction.
Common Name |
Species |
CITES Appendix |
MMPA |
ESA |
Walrus |
Odobenus rosmarus |
III |
Yes |
Candidate |
Polar bear |
Ursus maritimus |
II |
Yes |
Threatened |
Northern sea otter |
Enhydra lutris kenyoni |
II |
Yes |
Not Listed |
E. l. kenyoni
|
II |
Yes |
Threatened |
|
Enhydra lutris lutris |
II |
Yes |
Not Listed |
|
Southern sea otter |
Enhydra lutris nereis |
I |
Yes |
Threatened |
Marine otter |
Lontra (=Lutra) feline |
I |
Yes |
Endangered |
Dugong |
Dugong dugon |
I |
Yes |
Endangered |
West Indian manatee |
Trichechus manatus |
I |
Yes |
Endangered |
Amazonian manatee |
Trichechus inunguis |
I |
Yes |
Endangered |
West African manatee |
Trichechus senegalensis |
II |
Yes |
Threatened |
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has jurisdiction over whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea lions, under the MMPA and ESA. For further permit information about these species, contact:
National Marine Fisheries Service
Office of Protected Resources, F/PR1
1315 East West Highway, Room 13705
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
phone: 301-427-8401; fax: 301-713-0376
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits
Traveling to Alaska? Or looking for information on importing or exporting marine mammals or marine mammal products? Visit the Branch of Permits or our Travel & Trade section on Alaska travel for more information on buying souvenirs and Alaskan handicrafts.
Banner Credits: Polar Bear: Susanne Miller /USFWS; Dugong: Julien Willem CC BY-SA 3.0; Manatee: Tracy Colson /USFWS; Walrus: Joel Garlich-Miller; River otter: Chris Paul CC BY 2.0
