16 U.S.C. § 1361: Congressional findings and declaration of policy

certain species and population stocks of marine mammals are, or may be, in danger of extinction or depletion as a result of man’s activities; such species and population stocks should not be permitted to diminish beyond the point at which they cease to be a significant functioning element in the ecosystem of which they are a part, and, consistent with this major objective, they should not be permitted to diminish below their optimum sustainable population. Further measures should be immediately taken to replenish any species or population stock which has already diminished below that population. In particular, efforts should be made to protect essential habitats, including the rookeries, mating grounds, and areas of similar significance for each species of marine mammal from the adverse effect of man’s actions; there is inadequate knowledge of the ecology and population dynamics of such marine mammals and of the factors which bear upon their ability to reproduce themselves successfully; negotiations should be undertaken immediately to encourage the development of international arrangements for research on, and conservation of, all marine mammals; move in interstate commerce, or affect the balance of marine ecosystems in a manner which is important to other animals and animal products which move in interstate commerce, marine mammals have proven themselves to be resources of great international significance, esthetic and recreational as well as economic, and it is the sense of the Congress that they should be protected and encouraged to develop to the greatest extent feasible commensurate with sound policies of resource management and that the primary objective of their management should be to maintain the health and stability of the marine ecosystem. Whenever consistent with this primary objective, it should be the goal to obtain an optimum sustainable population keeping in mind the carrying capacity of the habitat. to give effect to the Declaration of Panama, signed October 4, 1995 , by the Governments of Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Spain, the United States of America, Vanuatu, and Venezuela, including the establishment of the International Dolphin Conservation Program, relating to the protection of dolphins and other species, and the conservation and management of tuna in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean; to recognize that nations fishing for tuna in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean have achieved significant reductions in dolphin mortality associated with that fishery; and to eliminate the ban on imports of tuna from those nations that are in compliance with the International Dolphin Conservation Program. the nations that fish for tuna in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean have achieved significant reductions in dolphin mortality associated with the purse seine fishery from hundreds of thousands annually to fewer than 5,000 annually; the provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 [ 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.] that impose a ban on imports from nations that fish for tuna in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean have served as an incentive to reduce dolphin mortalities; tuna canners and processors of the United States have led the canning and processing industry in promoting a dolphin-safe tuna market; and 12 signatory nations to the Declaration of Panama, including the United States, agreed under that Declaration to require that the total annual dolphin mortality in the purse seine fishery for yellowfin tuna in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean not exceed 5,000 animals, with the objective of progressively reducing dolphin mortality to a level approaching zero through the setting of annual limits and with the goal of eliminating dolphin mortality.” alters or is intended to alter any treaty between the United States and one or more Indian tribes; or affects or otherwise modifies the provisions of section 101(b) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 ( 16 U.S.C. 1371(b) ), except as specifically provided in the amendment made by section 4(b) of this Act [amending section 1371 of this title ].” to join in international discussions with other such countries in order to advance general understanding of cetacean life and thereby facilitate an effective use of the living marine resources of the world which does not jeopardize the natural balance of the aquatic environment; the impact of cetaceans on ecologically related human foodstuffs, and alternative methods of dealing with cetacean problems as they occur; to cooperate in establishing an international cetacean commission to advance understanding of cetacean life and to insure the effective conservation and protection of cetaceans on a global scale; and to adopt comprehensive marine mammal protection legislation.”