CHAPTER II 



RESEARCH AND STUDIES PROGRAM 



The Marine Mammal Protection Act requires that the 

 Commission: maintain a continuing review of research pro- 

 grams conducted or proposed to be conducted under the 

 authority of the Act; undertake or cause to be undertaken 

 such other studies as it deems necessary or desirable in 

 connection with marine mammal conservation and protection; 

 and take every step feasible to prevent wasteful, duplicative 

 research. To accomplish these tasks, the Commission: con- 

 ducts an annual survey of Federally-funded marine mammal 

 research; reviews and recommends steps that should be taken 

 to prevent duplication and improve the marine mammal research 

 programs conducted or supported by the National Marine 

 Fisheries Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the 

 Minerals Management Service, and other Federal agencies; 

 convenes meetings and workshops to review, plan, and coor- 

 dinate marine mammal research; and contracts for studies to 

 help define and develop solutions to domestic and inter- 

 national problems affecting marine mammals and their habitats 

 so as to facilitate and complement other agencies' acti- 

 vities. 



Survey of Federally-Funded Marine Mammal Research 



Research directly or indirectly relevant to the conser- 

 vation and protection of marine mammals and their habitats is 

 conducted or supported by many Federal departments and agen- 

 cies. To determine the precise nature of this research, to 

 examine ways in which it can best be used to facilitate 

 marine mammal conservation and protection, and to prevent 

 wasteful duplication, the Commission annually requests and 

 reviews information on the marine mammal research programs 

 being conducted, supported, or planned elsewhere in the 

 Federal Government. 



In 1986, the Commission requested information from 20 

 Federal agencies and departments, at least 16 of which are 

 known to be conducting or supporting research relevant to the 

 conservation and protection of marine mammals. Those agen- 

 cies and departments are the Department of the Air Force, the 

 Department of Energy, the Department of State, the Minerals 

 Management Service, the National Aeronautics and Space 

 Administration, the National Institutes of Health, the 



