Marine Mammal Commission Launches On-line Survey of Federally Funded Marine Mammal Research

A number of federal departments and agencies conduct or support research on marine mammals and their habitats. As part of its duties under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Marine Mammal Commission is introducing an on-line survey to collect information from the involved departments and agencies. The purpose is to determine the nature of the research and assess ways in which it can best be coordinated and used to further marine mammal conservation. The Commission currently is collecting information on projects funded during Fiscal Year 2009.

Previously, the Commission conducted the survey by requesting written reports from the involved departments and agencies. The online survey being introduced this year will allow federal researchers and project managers to enter pertinent information directly into the Commission's database, making the task easier and quicker for all participants. Respondents will be able to review and edit their data entries up to the point of submission to the online database. The Commission will compile an annual report summarizing the data for each fiscal year and make the report available on its Web site. The new online database format will also allow the Commission staff to access and analyze the information obtained to produce customized reports as needed. For additional information, please contact the Commission at surveyffr@mmc.gov.

The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Marine Mammals
19 July 2010

The Marine Mammal Commission is monitoring closely all aspects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, including response and assessment efforts. The Commissioners, staff, and scientific advisors are in frequent contact with other federal agencies and non-governmental stakeholders with expertise on marine mammals and marine ecosystems. The Commission's immediate focus is on supporting and facilitating appropriate responses by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service to help minimize damage to the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem and its biodiversity. In the short term, those agencies will be monitoring and responding to immediate impacts (i.e., oiled and stranded animals). The agencies also are providing treatment to and care for wildlife brought into captivity for rehabilitation and eventual release. The Marine Mammal Commission's Energy Policy Analyst has primary responsibility for coordinating with these agencies during response and assessment efforts.

Determining the short and long-term effects of the spill on the ecosystem, including marine mammals, is a primary goal of response and assessment efforts. To monitor the distribution of marine mammals in the oil spill area over the next three months, the Commission has funded the deployment of passive, high-frequency acoustic recording equipment by researchers from Scripps Institution of Oceanography working in collaboration with the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center. Once response and assessment efforts have been fully implemented, the Commission likely will review those activities to assess their effectiveness and identify ways that regulatory agencies can improve their responses to future spill events. The Commission also is working with other agencies to develop a long-term monitoring strategy to assess the effects of the spill on marine mammals and to track recovery of the Gulf ecosystem.

Click here for additional links and more information on the Deepwater Horizon spill and its potential effects on marine mammals.