BIO358-001 1st Edition Lecture 21Outline of Last Lecture I. Answers to questions Outline of Current Lecture I. 1972:a. eventsII. Marine Mammal Protection Acta. Definition of “take”b. Definition of Marine Mammalsi. Division of responsibilities III. Events Leading up to the MMPAa. Whalingb. Seal Clubbingc. Tuna Dolphin ProblemIV. Exemptionsa. Aboriginal tribesb. Permit SystemV. Tuna Dolphin problem Current Lecture1972 – Marine Mammal Protection Act These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.1972: - Vietnam war- Apollo 17 - Nixon – just reelected – WATERGATE – dishonorable but in the realm of marine mammals he did remarkable things – passed the Marine Mammal Protection Act in 1972 MMPA –1. Affords protection to a specific group of organisms (marine mammals)2. Goal –prevent depletion of marine mammal populations as a result of human activities to restore depleted populations3. Established a moratorium on “taking” marine mammals in US water and importing marine mammals and products into the US.a. “Taking” – “harassing, hunting, capturing, killing, or collecting or attempting to collect hunt capture kill or collect a marine mammal “b. Marine mammals – Division of responsibilities:- US Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of Interior) o Sirenianso Polar bearso Sea otterso Walrus - National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (Department of Commerce) o Cetaceanso Phocid sealso Otariids (sea lions and fur seals) - Why odobenids in one and other otariids in the others – NO GOOD REASON MMPA protects marine mammals – they don’t even have to be endangered ESA passed into law 1973 the year after MMPAEndangered – any species in danger of extinction throughout all or part of their rangeThreatened – any species in danger of becoming endangeredYOU DON’T HAVE TO BE ENDANGERED YOU JUST HAVE TO BE A MARINE MAMMAL3 specific events made this act the way it is…1. Commercial Whaling: a. Commercial harvest of many species of large whales hunted to near extinction internationally b. Method of killing – high power mechanized harpoon huntingc. Public awareness –advocacy and conservation groups 2. Hunt of baby harp seals (pagophilus groenlandicus): a. Mostly in maritime Cananda b. Hunted seals for white coats (newborns usually 14 days old) c. Method of killing – clubbing seals on head and quickly skinning (accused of this activity when the animal was still alive) d. Public awareness – through Canadian government promotional tourist video for Newfuondland and Greenpeace filming event. e. Canadian harp seal hunt is on-going – white coat hunting has been prohibited since 1987f. Age group is 25 to 13 months “beaters” considered independante animalsg. Allowable take is 335000 harp seals from 2010-2014 h. 2008 – HIGH NUMBERS OF TAKES IN CANADA – 2009 number drops dramatically – European union banned commercial sales of all seal products (big market disappeared). There are also bad ice years – harp seals don’t have the ice they need for reproduction = less seals i. Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans stats the hunt is sustainable – current population estimate for harp seals 7.3 million 3. Tuna-Dolphin Problem: a. Tuna purse sein fishery b. William Perrin, NOAA c. Late 1960’s – the high dolphin takes (kills) in eastern tropical pacific ocean4. CONSTELATION OF EVENTS = PUBLIC PRESSUR AND INFLUENCED LEGISLATION, public pressure can change the law MMPA – Exemptions: 1. Aboriginal hunts:a. Makah Indian Tribe – 1855 Treaty of Neah Bay – up to 20 gray whales/5 years (under review – hunt not on-going now) – individuals went out without permission and attackeda grey whale… got punished by tribe (not endangered)b. Alaskan Inupiat hunters – may take up to 67 bowhead whales/yr (ENDANGERED) – number based on increasing individual numbers, and projected survival of the population – protecting culture while protecting marine mammals.2. Permit System: a. Aknowleging that human activities have the potential to injure marine mammalsb. Taking and importing marine mammals for some scientific research, education and public display – Areal survey team has a permit to be close to marine mammalsc. Taking incidental to military and commercial activities (e.g. seismic testing) d. Taking as an incidental catch in fishing operations – we don’t want to harm them but some activities WILL weather we like it or not – so a permit is needed for these fisheries Tuna- Dolphin Problem: - How do you weigh the intrinsic value of a dolphin vs. the intrinsic value of a diversity of other marine organism and ecosystems? - Back in time – yellow-fin tuna fishery - Early 1900’s hook and line fishery along California and Mexico Coast – targeted, low by catch fishery) - 1940’s – HUGE body of water – Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) – US fleet dominates- other nations (latin America) entered the ETP and caught tuna more cheaply and US fisheries suffered- Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) developed to promote the responsible fishing of tuna - 1957 – development of purse sein net (strong synthetic fibers = VERY BIG/Strong) and hydraulic power block (structure that permits net to be mechanically lifted on board = CATCH OF TUNA DOUBLES - Consequences:o Overexploitation of Tunao Incidental takes of dolphins – large school of mature yellowfin tuna associated with dolphin herds… Tuna swim under the dolphins. Relationship not understood. DOLPHINS ARE EASY TO SEE AND ARE TARGETED BY FISHING FLEETS – likely to find mature yellow fin tuna under dolphins. – industry began at force in late 1950’s - 1968 – William (Bill)Perrin – went out on US tuna purse seine vessel and brings back first scientific data that suggested that HUGE numbers of dolphins were being killed in the fisheries- Mandated fishery observers go out on US fishing vessels to count # of fish and dolphins killed- Only 9 of 4,250 fishing trips observed- Estimate 350,000 dolphins killed/year (spotted, spinner, common, bottlenose)- 5 million in 14 years. 1. Observers on boats make it less likely that the dolphins will be taken… 2. Ways to reduce dolphin catch and –Dolphins corralled and boat stops and reverses the engine – back portion of net submerged – Medina Strip – really fine mesh allows dolphins to get out… fisherman