Marine Mammal Commission Proposed for Elimination in Trump's Budget

Marine Mammal Commission Proposed for Elimination in Trump's Budget

Dr. Daryl Boness, chairman of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission, yesterday emailed the following message protesting President Trump's proposal to eliminate the Commission in the FY 2019 Budget. His simple but eloquent note inspires dolphin and whale lovers including members of Sierra Club Florida to fight harder to oppose Trump's disastrous environmental budget cuts and policies.

For about 1 penny per American per year, the Marine Mammal Commission has met its Congressional mandate to conserve marine mammals for over 40 years.

President Trump released the Administration's budget proposal to Congress on February 12, 2018, requesting the elimination of the Marine Mammal Commission (Commission) in fiscal year 2019 (which begins on October 1, 2018), as he did in FY2018. I again deeply regret having to share this news with you and express my concern about the impact this proposal would have on the American public, marine mammals, and our marine and coastal communities.

In the early 1970s, in response to a concerned American public, widespread recognition that marine mammals are important ocean ambassadors, and an understanding that they play a critical role in the health and productivity of our world's oceans, Congress passed the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). This legislation firmly placed the United States at the forefront of marine mammal and marine ecosystem conservation. It also supported coastal economies that generate significant revenues and jobs from healthy populations of marine mammals. As mandated by the MMPA, the Commission has, for nearly half a century, provided independent, science based oversight of federal activities and programs affecting marine mammals-a function performed by no other agency.

The Commission sits at the juncture where science, policy, and economic factors are reconciled to meet the mandates of the MMPA, which balance the demands of human activities with the protection of marine mammals and the environment that sustains them. This role helps ensure an effective and efficient regulatory process that abides by Congressional directives, takes into account all stakeholder views, and is based on the best available science. We excel at bringing people together to find solutions to problems before they become crises. We fund cutting edge, low-cost research projects designed to achieve a large impact. We work to ensure the health of marine mammal populations in our oceans and we protect the subsistence hunting rights of Alaska Natives. We proudly perform these and other duties with a modest annual operating budget of $3.431 million, which comes to just over 1 penny per American per year.

We have proudly served you to ensure that whales, manatees, dolphins, seals, sea otters, and other marine mammals survive for generations of Americans to come. In the past two Federal Employee Surveys, the Commission ranked number one in the U.S. government for overall employee engagement and satisfaction, showcasing the level of commitment and motivation of its staff. Despite facing possible elimination of the agency and loss of employment, employees of the Commission remain committed to you and the marine life that has kept us in collective awe for centuries.

The proposed elimination of the Commission comes at a time when decades of marine stewardship are achieving success because of a strong American environmental ethic that balances economic needs with the conservation of our natural resources. We are loyal to our Congressional mandate to responsibly manage and protect marine mammals and their ecosystems, which are vital to our economy, prosperity, and future.

Sincerely,