Claudia Stile - Policy Approach

Question: As marine mammals undergo increasing climate change impacts, and how can we help them through effective policy?

Goal: This project aims to understand how we can help support marine mammal species who are, and will be, threatened by climate change through policy and conservation work within state, national, and international legislative levels.

Objectives:

Effective collaboration in a 3D dimensional space that includes place and nature, people and stakeholders, and government involvement
- Academics, coastal communities, economies, stakeholders, politics, etc.

Protect marine mammals across boundaries, such as state, national, and international
Enact policy that considers economic implications for all
Encourage nature kinship between boundaries
- Emphasize importance of marine mammals to ecosystems and people

Approach:

Analyze current data and see how shifts have happened throughout marine mammals, focusing on stark behavior changes among species, and those that are most detrimental
Include a variety of researchers, scientists, and policy makers to compare historical policy, climate change policy, and feasibility of large-scale marine mammal policy together
- Determine which species have changed the most, or pose the most ecological risk, whether loss of keystone/indicator species, biological alterations, behavior change, or population decreases; once specific species are chosen, research how they can be supported and develop plan to support/rehabilitate species directly if feasible
- Outline a policy agenda that would be effective, feasible, and the most beneficial to all communities involved
Implement community education plan to help people understand their impact on marine mammals
Take community, politician, and science based feedback on policy and then revise
Policy may include:
- Expand MPAs
- More restrictions on shipping, waste removal, pollution, chemical use
- Implement action plans for emergency situations regarding marine mammals and extreme environmental changes, particularly ones propelled by human actions
- Push for renewable and sustainable alternatives for energy, limit emissions
- Collaboration across borders to protect marine mammals
Continue to monitor status of marine mammals after implementation of policy and how communities are impacted by policy

References

Brownley, J. (2025). Text - H.R.8496 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): Marine Mammal Climate Change Protection Act of 2026. US Congress. https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8496/text?s=5&r=3&hl=marine+mammals

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), (2026). https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/RL/PDF/RL32751/RL32751.12.pdf

The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 As Amended, (2025). https://www.mmc.gov/wp-content/uploads/MMPA_2023.pdf

Marshak, A. R. (2025). The Marine Mammal Commission. US Congress. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF13015

Miller, D. S., Anthony, R., & Golab, G. (2018). Assessing Aquatic Mammal Welfare While Assessing Differing Values and Imperfect Tradeoffs. Aquatic Mammals, 44(2), 116–141. https://doi.org/10.1578/am.44.2.2018.116

Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., & Würsig, B. (2022). Helping Marine Mammals Cope with Humans. Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Marine Mammals, 425–450. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98100-6_14

Palmer, C. (2019). Assisting Wild Animals Vulnerable to Climate Change: Why Ethical Strategies Diverge. Journal of Applied Philosophy, 38(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/japp.12358

Reeves, R. R., Smith, B. D., Crespo, E. A., & Notarbartolo di Sciara, G. (2003). Dolphins, Whales and Porpoises: 2002–2010 Conservation Action Plan for the World’s Cetaceans. IUCN; IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. https://portals.iucn.org/library/efiles/documents/2003-009.pdf

Simmonds, M. P., & Isaac, S. J. (2007). The impacts of climate change on marine mammals: early signs of significant problems. Oryx, 41(1), 19–26. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0030605307001524