The NAIA Trust recognizes the need to protect rare and endangered marine mammals and supports these efforts when they are backed by ongoing assessments of species populations and environmental health. The NAIA Trust favors rewriting the Marine Mammal Protection Act to accommodate sustainable hunting of marine mammals and sale of marine mammal products by indigenous people and by communities that depend on the meat and skins for survival. The NAIA Trust also supports sustainable hunting of whales and the international sale of whale products by coastal and island communities throughout the world.
Dolphins, killer whales, and manatees in zoos and aquaria give millions of families chances to see these magnificent animals and appreciate the relationships forged between them and their trainers. These displays also provide scientists with opportunities to study the biology and behavior of these species and develop reproductive strategies to aid in saving endangered species. The NAIA Trust values the organizations that present these opportunities while providing for the well-being of the animals involved and educating the public about their habits and their ocean environments.
Suggested Reading
- NAIA: Alliance revitalizes NAIA’s call for changes to the US Marine Mammal Protection Act
- NAIA: “Dolphin safe” concerns everyone
- NAIA: Destruction of an industry
- NAIA: The Strange Politics of the Marine Mammal Protection Act steals puppets from native people
- NAIA: The tuna-dolphin connection
- NAIA: US Marine Mammal Law Plays Havoc with Inuit Lives
- NAIA: Whaling to resume?