CHAPTER XII 



PERMIT PROCESS 



The Marine Mammal Protection Act placed 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 

 marine mammal involved, for the taking or importation of marine 

 mammals for purposes of scientific research or public display. 

 Before acting on a permit application, the responsible regula- 

 tory agency is required to have the application 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 application at the 

 Department of Commerce or the Interior, publication of a notice 

 of receipt of the application in the Federal Register , and 

 transmittal to the Commission; (2) review of the application by 

 the Commission, in consultation with its Committee of Scientific 

 Advisors, and transmittal of its recommendation 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 permit. The following is a schematic representation of this 

 process. 



Applicant 



Application 



Final Departmental Action 



Dept. of 

 Commerce 



X 



Dept. of 

 Interior 



3 



I 



Dept. of 

 Interior 



JL 



Dept. of 

 Commerce 



Complete Application 



H 



Commission Recommendation 



Marine Mammal Commission 



Committee of Scientific 

 Advisors on Marine Mammals 



200 



