Republicans attempt to weaken 50-year-old legislation defending whales, seals and polar bears

By PATRICK WHITTLE

BOOTHBAY HARBOR, Maine (AP) — Republican lawmakers are concentrating on one of many U.S.’s longest standing items of environmental laws, credited with serving to save uncommon whales from extinction.

Conservative leaders really feel they now have the political will to take away key items of the Marine Mammal Safety Act, enacted in 1972 to guard whales, seals, polar bears and different sea animals. The legislation additionally locations restrictions on industrial fishermen, shippers and different marine industries.

A GOP-led invoice within the works has assist from fishermen in Maine who say the legislation makes lobster fishing tougher, lobbyists for big-money species akin to tuna in Hawaii and crab in Alaska, and marine producers who see the legislation as antiquated.

Conservation teams adamantly oppose the modifications and say weakening the legislation will erase years of hard-won good points for jeopardized species such because the vanishing North Atlantic proper whale, of which there are lower than 400, and is weak to entanglement in fishing gear.

Right here’s what to know concerning the safety act and the proposed modifications.

Why does the Seventies legislation nonetheless matter

“The Marine Mammal Safety Act is essential as a result of it’s considered one of our bedrock legal guidelines that assist us to base conservation measures on one of the best accessible science,” mentioned Kathleen Collins, senior marine marketing campaign supervisor with Worldwide Fund for Animal Welfare. “Species getting ready to extinction have been introduced again.”

It was enacted the yr earlier than the Endangered Species Act, at a time when the motion to save lots of whales from extinction was rising. Scientist Roger Payne had found that whales may sing within the late Nineteen Sixties, and their voices quickly appeared on document albums and all through widespread tradition.

The legislation protects all marine mammals, and prohibits capturing or killing them in U.S. waters or by U.S. residents on the excessive seas. It allowed for preventative measures to cease industrial fishing ships and different companies from by accident harming animals akin to whales and seals. The animals could be harmed by entanglement in fishing gear, collisions with ships and different hazards at sea.

The legislation additionally prevents the looking of marine mammals, together with polar bears, with exceptions for Indigenous teams. A few of these animals could be legally hunted in different nations.

Modifications to grease and fuel operations — and whale security

Republican Rep. Nick Begich of Alaska, a state with a big fishing trade, submitted a invoice draft this summer season that will roll again facets of the legislation. The invoice says the act has “unduly and unnecessarily constrained authorities, tribes and the regulated group” since its inception.

The proposal states that it will make modifications akin to decreasing inhabitants targets for marine mammals from “most productiveness” to the extent wanted to “assist continued survival.” It will additionally ease guidelines on what constitutes hurt to marine mammals.

For instance, the legislation presently prevents harassment of sea mammals akin to whales, and defines harassment as actions which have “the potential to injure a marine mammal.” The proposed modifications would restrict the definition to solely actions that really injure the animals. That change may have main implications for industries akin to oil and fuel exploration the place uncommon whales dwell.

That poses an existential risk to the Rice’s whale, which numbers solely within the dozens and lives within the Gulf of Mexico, conservationists mentioned. And the proposal takes particular intention on the North Atlantic proper whale protections with a clause that will delay guidelines designed to guard that declining whale inhabitants till 2035.

Begich and his workers didn’t return requires touch upon the invoice, and his workers declined to supply an replace about the place it stands in Congress. Begich has mentioned he needs “a invoice that protects marine mammals and in addition works for the individuals who dwell and work alongside them, particularly in Alaska.”

Fishing teams need restrictions loosened

A coalition of fishing teams from each coasts has come out in assist of the proposed modifications. A number of the similar teams lauded a earlier effort by the Trump administration to cut back regulatory burdens on industrial fishing.

The teams mentioned in a July letter to Home members that they really feel Begich’s modifications replicate “a optimistic and obligatory step” for American fisheries’ success.

Restrictions imposed on lobster fishermen of Maine are designed to guard the correct whale, however they usually present little safety for the animals whereas limiting considered one of America’s signature fisheries, Virginia Olsen, political director of the Maine Lobstering Union, mentioned. The restrictions stipulate the place lobstermen can fish and what sorts of substances they will use. The whales are weak to deadly entanglement in heavy fishing rope.

Gathering extra correct knowledge about proper whales whereas revising the unique legislation would assist defend the animals, Olsen mentioned.

“We don’t wish to see marine mammals harmed; we’d like a wholesome, vibrant ocean and a plentiful marine habitat to proceed Maine’s heritage fishery,” Olsen mentioned.

Some members of different maritime industries have additionally known as on Congress to replace the legislation. The Nationwide Marine Producers Affiliation mentioned in a press release that the principles haven’t stored tempo with developments within the marine trade, making innovation within the enterprise troublesome.

Environmentalists combat again

Quite a few environmental teams have vowed to combat to save lots of the safety act. They characterised the proposed modifications as a part of the Trump administration’s assault on environmental protections.

The act was instrumental in defending the humpback whale, one of many species most beloved by whale watchers, mentioned Gib Brogan, senior marketing campaign director with Oceana. Together with different sea mammals, humpbacks could be in jeopardy with out it, he mentioned.

“The Marine Mammal Safety Act is versatile. It really works. It’s efficient. We don’t must overhaul this legislation at this level,” Brogan mentioned.

What does this imply for seafood imports

The unique legislation makes it unlawful to import marine mammal merchandise with out a allow, and permits the U.S. to impose import prohibitions on seafood merchandise from international fisheries that don’t meet U.S. requirements.

The import embargoes are a significant sticking level as a result of they punish American companies, mentioned Gavin Gibbons, chief technique officer of the Nationwide Fisheries Institute, a Virginia-based seafood trade commerce group. It’s important to supply seafood globally to have the ability to meet American demand for seafood, he mentioned.

The Nationwide Fisheries Institute and a coalition of trade teams sued the federal authorities Thursday over what they described as illegal implementation of the safety act. Gibbons mentioned the teams don’t oppose the act, however wish to see it responsibly carried out.

“Our fisheries are nicely regulated and appropriately fished to their most sustainable yield,” Gibbons mentioned. “The women and men who work our waters are iconic and accountable. They will’t be anticipated to only fish extra right here to make up a deficit whereas jeopardizing the sustainability they’ve labored so exhausting to take care of.”

Some environmental teams mentioned the Republican lawmakers’ proposed modifications may weaken American seafood competitiveness by permitting imports from poorly regulated international fisheries.

This story was supported by funding from the Walton Household Basis. The AP is solely accountable for all content material.

Initially Revealed: October 13, 2025 at 5:01 PM PDT