Marine mammal the attempt at such") of any marine mammal without a permit issued by the Secretary. Authority to manage the MMPA was divided between the Secretary of the Interior through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), and the Secretary of Commerce, which is delegated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Marine Mammal Commission (MMC) was established to review existing policies and make recommendations to the Service and NOAA to better implement the MMPA. The Service is responsible for ensuring the protection of sea otters and marine otters, walruses, polar bears, the three species of manatees, and dugongs;
Marine mammal observer Marine mammal observer A marine mammal observer (MMO) is a professional in environmental consulting who specializes in whales and dolphins. In recent years there has been increased concern for the effect of man-made noise pollution in the ocean, particularly upon cetaceans - which are known to be sensitive to sound. As a result, environmental regulations have been introduced in an attempt to minimise negative impacts on marine wildlife. These guidelines have focused on the oil industry's seismic exploration for offshore oil. They center on the practice of delaying or shutting down the use of air-guns if a whale or dolphin