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deliberations leading up to passage of the Act, members of 

 Congress, federal and state officials, scientists, and members 

 of the public expressed concern with the overall health of the 

 marine environment and its living marine resources. Concerns 

 regarding pollution, habitat degradation, over-exploitation of 

 fisheries and other living marine resources, as well as the 

 desire to reduce the direct and incidental take of marine 

 mammals, motivated Congress to pass the MMPA. 



In recognition that marine mammals are but one part of 

 marine ecosystems and that such ecosystems were, even in 1972, 

 in a serious and rapid state of decline, Congress established 

 as the primary goal of the MMPA the management of marine 

 mammals "to maintain the health and stability of the marine 

 ecosystem." 10 In declaring this policy objective, however, 

 Congress did not provide any specific authority to advance 

 this primary goal. For example, no direct authority exists 

 under the statute to protect marine mammal habitat or 

 components of such habitat, including prey species. No 

 research programs are expressly authorized to address marine 

 ecosystem health and stability issues or the relationship 

 between marine mammals and other elements of the marine 

 environment. Perhaps most importantly, no tools are provided 

 to manage marine ecosystems on a comprehensive basis, 



p Id. S 1361(6). 



[19653-0001/DA940590.060] -12- 



