Republican Lawmakers Push to Repeal Marine Mammal Protection Act

Sat Oct 11 2025 23:55:50 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A proposed bill could weaken protections for endangered marine species including rare whales as fishermen and industry lobbyists push for regulatory changes.

Republican lawmakers are crafting a bill aimed at amending the Marine Mammal Protection Act, originally enacted to help protect endangered species such as the North Atlantic right whale. Supporters of the bill argue that current regulations place undue burdens on fishermen, while environmental groups express strong opposition, fearing that weakening the act might undo decades of conservation work.

BOOTHBAY HARBOR, Maine (AP) — Republican lawmakers are targeting one of the U.S.'s longest-standing pieces of environmental legislation, credited with helping save rare whales from extinction.

Conservative leaders feel they now have the political will to remove key pieces of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, enacted in 1972 to protect whales, seals, polar bears, and other sea animals. The law also places restrictions on commercial fishermen, shippers, and other marine industries.

A GOP-led bill in the works has garnered support from fishermen in Maine who say the law makes lobster fishing more difficult, as well as lobbyists for big-money species such as tuna in Hawaii and crab in Alaska, and marine manufacturers who see the law as antiquated.

Conservation groups adamantly oppose the changes and say weakening the law will erase years of hard-won gains for jeopardized species such as the vanishing North Atlantic right whale, of which there are less than 400, and that is vulnerable to entanglement in fishing gear.

Why does the 1970s law still matter?

“The Marine Mammal Protection Act is important because it’s one of our bedrock laws that help us to base conservation measures on the best available science,” said Kathleen Collins, senior marine campaign manager with International Fund for Animal Welfare. “Species on the brink of extinction have been brought back.”

The law prohibits capturing or killing marine mammals in U.S. waters or by U.S. citizens on the high seas. It also prevents the hunting of marine mammals, including polar bears, with exceptions for Indigenous groups.

Proposed Changes and Impact

Republican Rep. Nick Begich of Alaska submitted a bill draft this summer that would roll back aspects of the act, claiming it has “unduly and unnecessarily constrained government, tribes, and the regulated community.”

Some critics, including environmentalists, say the changes could jeopardize marine mammal populations by easing protections and limiting the definition of harassment.

The National Marine Manufacturers Association argues that the current regulations hinder innovation and advancements in the marine industry. The coalition of fishing groups that supports the proposed changes argues that the restrictions imposed damage their industry while providing little actual protection for animals.

In response, numerous environmentalists have vowed to fight to protect the act, highlighting its role in ensuring the survival of species like the humpback whale.

As the discussion surrounding the Marine Mammal Protection Act continues, the future of marine wildlife conservation and commercial fishing remains uncertain.