Subject: Marine Mammal Policy
Jennifer D. Philips (jphilips@soest.hawaii.edu)
Thu, 29 Oct 1998 09:39:49 -1000
>I am doing a project for the Williams/Mystic Program and
having difficulty
>finding information regarding to policy or laws regarding the
captivity or
>stranding of marine mammals.=A0=A0 Also, I would like to find out if
there are
>rules and regulaions regarding breeding or training in captivity.=A0
Thank
>you for any help you can give!!
>
>Erika Zollett
>
>ezollett@abacus.bates.edu
>
Erika -
There are governmental regulations and policy in place and in operation
regarding the protection of marine mammals, especially the Marine Mammal
Protection Act governed by the National Marine Fisheries Service. I
would take a look at their web page:
http://kingfish.ssp.nmfs.gov
The page has a link to the MMPA actual code. The MMPA governs any
form of interaction, manipulation, and impact on marine mammals by humans
and human activity. Regulations regarding "take" of
marine mammals, which includes even just effecting the behavior of a
marine mammals, dictate that organizations must obtain permits via set
application processes in order to conduct activities that might impact
marine mammals, including, of course, taking and holding any marine
mammal into captivity.
As for training and breeding policy, I cannot personally think of any
regulations that specifically pertain to this. However, the permits
that institutions must obtain in order to hold marine mammals in
captivity imply certain care and handling rules that would of course
apply to their training and breeding. Take a look at the IMATA web
page:
http://www.imata.org
(International Marine Animal Trainers Association). Maybe they have=
some info there. Otherwise, if you really need to find the=
information, I would try researching various parks and facilities by=
contacting their training managers personally. You might also find=
something pertaining to training and breeding at the NMFS page above.
Good luck, hope this has helped. Write again anytime.
Aloha -
Jen Philips
__________________________________
Jennifer D.
Philips
jphilips@soest.hawaii.edu
Marine Mammal Research Program
HIMB, University of Hawaii at Manoa
PO Box
1106 =
;
Kailua, HI 96734
voice: (808) 247-5063
fax: (808) 247-5831
__________________________________