The Society for Marine Mammalogy uses the Presidential Letter process as a mechanism whereby the Society may respond to issues of concern in a timely fashion. The SMM Conservation Committee monitors important marine mammal issues via input from the SMM Board of Governors and the SMM membership.
At the request of the Board of Governors, the Committee will research an issue of concern and develop a position. Based on the consensus view of the Committee, the Chair will draft a letter for signature by the President on behalf of the Society. Such letters and appropriate background and responses are published on the Society’s website.
The vaquita porpoise, native only to the Upper Gulf of California, currently faces an unprecedented threat of extinction. Driven largely by the illegal gillnet trade for totoaba fish swim bladders—a highly lucrative commodity in international black markets—the porpoise’s population has plummeted to critical levels. Despite repeated promises of enhanced marine enforcement, conservationists argue that the […]
31 August, 2014 Mrs Marsh, On behalf of the minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, we answer your letter underlining your concern about the threats to the St. Lawrence beluga whale population linked to the proposed Cacouna Harbour. Our government is effectively aware that this isolated population is threatened. In Québec, beluga management is under […]
The Society for Marine Mammalogy received the following response from the Office of the Prime Minister in Ottawa regarding our June 17, 2014 Presidential Letter concerning Cacouna Harbor and the St. Lawrence beluga whale habitat July 11, 2014 Dear Ms. Marsh: I would like to acknowledge receipt of your correspondence of June 17 addressed to […]
The Society for Marine Mammalogy received the following response to our June 17, 2014 Presidential Letter concerning Cacouna Harbour and the St. Lawrence River beluga whales from the Premier of Québec: June 23, 2014 Dear Ms. Marsh: On behalf of the Premier of Québec, Mr. Philippe Couillard, I acknowledge receipt of your email dated June […]
The Society received the following response to its Presidential Letter regarding the Don Sahong Dam and the future of river dolphins, including the critically endangered Mekong population of Irrawaddy dolphins from David B. Shear, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam on June 4, 2014: Dear Ms. Marsh: Thank you for your letter dated May 14, 2014. In […]