34 



Accreditation certifies that an institution is cun"ently meeting standards estab- 

 lished by the Association and is based upon the informed judgment of experienced 

 individuals within the profession. Zoological parks and aqu£uiums must qualify for 

 accreditation at least once eveir five years. Facilities may be inspected during the 

 five year period if suspected problems are presented to the AAZPA. 



Both institutional and individual members are bound by the AAZPA Code of Pro- 

 fessional Ethics. This Ethics Code was developed by the profession and is the stand- 

 ard by which proper conduct is measured. 



The AAZPA Etnics Board, composed of 5 professional AAZPA members elected by 

 the voting membership is responsible for developing and maintaining the Code, as 

 well as investigating formal written complaints of Code violations and initiating in- 

 vestigations on its own. Anyone can bring an ethics charge against an AAZPA insti- 

 tution. Based on the results of these investigations, the Ethics Board makes rec- 

 ommendations for appropriate action to the Board of Directors. 



The Code includes obligations of professional ethics and mandatory standards. De- 

 viation by a member fmra the Code of Professional Ethics is considered unethical 

 conduct and the member becomes subject to investigation by the AAZPA's Ethics 

 Board and, if warranted, to disciplinary action by the AAZPA Board of Directors. 



The AAZPA is refining and revising its ethics guidelines based on the professional 

 expertise of its membership. For example, last spring, the AAZPA and Georgia Tech 

 University convened a conference to consider ethical issues facing the Species Sur- 

 vival Plan. Funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, the conference 

 brought together nearly 50 experts in animal welfare, wildlife conservation and 

 management, environmental ethics, and zoo biology to discuss ethics surrounding 

 captive breeding, display design, surplus animals, behavioral enrichment and other 

 relevant topics. Much progress was made and the conference results will be pub- 

 lished by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. 



V. MMPA AMENDMENTS 



AAZPA and Alliance members support the MMPA and do not believe it is in need 

 of major modification. However, AAZPA and Alliance members have a unique per- 

 spective on the Act and urge the following issues and amendments be considered 

 during the reauthorization. 



1. Amend the Congressional findings to recognize the value of public education 

 and scientific research by public display institutions and other persons in enhancing 

 the conservation of marine mammals. 



2. Clarify that persons who already have an MMPA public display permit do not 

 need yet another MMPA permit to (a) transfer marine mammals alreaay in captivity 

 between their own facilities or (b) offer to sell, offer to purchase, sell, purchase or 

 transport marine mammals already in captivity to another facility which already 

 has a marine mammal public display permit for the species involved. Several animal 

 rights organizations have filed a lawsuit alleging that each offer to purchase, each 

 offer to sell, each sale, each purchase, and every transportation is a taking requiring 

 an additional and separate MMPA permit subject to Federal Register notice and 

 conmient, public hearings and judicial challenge. 



3. Clarity that the sale, transfer and transport of marine manmials already in 

 captivity between already permitted institutions also does not require yet another 

 authorization. Facilities already holding an MMPA public display permit should not 

 need a separate letter of authorization, which has become tantamount to another 



f)ermit, as the National Marine Fisheries Service ("NMFS") and the Fish and Wild- 

 ife Service now require. However, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

 ("APHIS") should be notified in advance of the transport to make certain the receiv- 

 ing facility is properly permitted and NMFS and FWS should be notified of any 

 transport of ammals under its jurisdiction so they can maintain a current inventory 

 of the location of animals in captivity. 



4. Codify the existing practice of NMFS and FWS that requires public display in- 

 stitutions to comply with the marine mammal care and maintenance standards es- 

 tablished by APHIS under the Animal Welfare Act. One agency, not three, should 

 be establishing and enforcing marine manrunal care and maintenance standards. 



5. Clarify that public display includes interactive exhibition. Scientific studies 

 and real world practice show that people learn more, and retain it longer, when the 

 leamaing process is interactive. Interactive programs should be included in public 

 display programs where appropriate. 



6. Clarify that the MMPA moratorium on taking marine mammals does not apply 

 to takings for public display, scientific research, or to enhance the survival of a spe- 

 cies or stock. This has teen a twenty-year old interpretation of the MMPA by the 



