Marine Mammal Data Program

Nondiscretionary funding under this authorization provides support to State and federal agencies for the collection and analysis of information on marine mammals that occur in U.S waters and interact with State and federal managed fisheries and other marine resources. Information collected is used by the State and Federal governments to conserve marine mammals, address or resolve conflicts between marine mammals, fisheries and living marine resources, and to improve their understanding of the health of individual marine mammals as well as marine mammal populations. Discretionary funds may be announced in the Federal Register under competitive programs to undertake research in subjects which are relevant to the protection and conservation of marine mammals.