CHAPTER XII 



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, an application is reviewed by the Marine Mammal 

 Commission in consultation with its 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 appli- 

 cation at the Department, publication of a notice of re- 

 ceipt of the application in the Federal Register , and 

 transmittal to the Commission; (2) review of the appli- 

 cation by the Commission, in consultation with its Commit- 

 tee of Scientific Advisors, and transmittal of its recom- 

 mendation to the Department; and (3) final processing by 

 the Department, including consideration of all comments and 

 recommendations of the Commission and the public, resulting 

 in the approval or denial of the application. The follow- 

 ing is a schematic representation of this process. 



Applicant 



Application 



Dept . of 

 Commerce 



X 



Dept . of 

 Interior 



Final Departmental Action 



Dept. of 

 Interior 



T. 



Dept. of 

 Commerce 



Complete Application 



3 



Commission Recommendation 



Marine Mammal Commission 



T 



X 



Committee of Scientific 

 Advisors on Marine Mammals 



144 



