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CHAPTER IX 



PERMIT PROCESS 



The Marine Mammal Protection Act places a moratorium, 

 with certain exceptions, on the taking and importing of marine 

 mammals and marine mammal products. One exception is the 

 provision for the issuance of permits by either the Secretary 

 of Commerce or the Secretary of the Interior, depending upon 

 the species of animal involved, for the taking of marine 

 mammals for purposes of scientific research or public display. 

 Prior to the issuance of a permit, the application is reviewed 

 by the Commission in consultation with its Committee of 

 Scientific Advisors on Marine Mammals. The following is a 

 schematic representation of this permit review process. 



Dept. of 

 Commerce 



^ 



Applicant 



Application 



w~ 



^ 



Dept. of 

 Interior 



^/ 



Final Departmental Action 



"^7 



Dept. of 

 Interior 



Dept. of 

 Commerce 



7* 



Complete Application 



Commission Recommendation 



^ 



Marine Mammal Commission 



\F 



7 



Committee of Scientific 

 Advisors on Marine Mammals 



Application Review 



The permit application and review process involves three 

 stages: 1) receipt and initial review of the application at 

 the Department, publication of a notice of receipt of 

 application in the Federal Register , and transmittal to the 

 Commission; 2) review of the application by the Commission 



