All U.S. fishing vessel owners or operators must report all incidental mortalities and injuries of marine mammals that occur during commercial fishing operations under the Marine Mammal Authorization Program. In addition, NMFS’s Regional Fishery Observer Programs, Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program, and Large Whale Entanglement Response Programs document and report marine mammal mortalities and injuries incidental to commercial fishing operations. Information on marine mammal mortalities and injuries collected under these programs provides the basis for determining whether the incidental mortality and serious injury of marine mammals in commercial fishing operations has been reduced to insignificant levels approaching a zero mortality and serious injury rate, as required by the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act.
All U.S. fishing vessel owners or operators must report all incidental mortalities and injuries of marine mammals that occur during commercial fishing operations under the Marine Mammal Authorization Program.