Title 16 › Chapter 31— MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION › Subchapter III— MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION › § 1402
The Commission must study and review U.S. actions under laws and international agreements about marine mammals. It must keep monitoring marine mammal populations, ways to protect them, humane methods of taking them, research programs, and permit requests for scientific study, public display, or helping a species recover. The Commission can do other studies it thinks are needed. It must make recommendations to the Secretary and other federal officials about protection measures, advise the Secretary of State on international policies, suggest changes to the federal endangered and threatened species lists for marine mammals, and propose other steps to carry out the law, including help for Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts whose livelihoods might be harmed. The Commission must consult with the Secretary and give the Secretary its annual report before sending it to Congress. Its reports and recommendations must be public, and other Commission records are available under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). Officials who receive the Commission’s recommendations must reply within 120 days and must explain in detail if they do not follow them.
Full Legal Text
Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
16 U.S.C. § 1402
Title 16 — Conservation
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60