International Association for Marine Mammal Science

International Association for Marine Mammal Science
Name	International Association for Marine Mammal Science
Formation	1991
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	Unknown
Region served	Global
Membership	Scientists, researchers, students
Leader title	President

International Association for Marine Mammal Science is an international professional society focused on the study, conservation, and management of cetaceans, pinnipeds, sirenians, and other marine mammals. The association engages institutions and individuals from major research centers and policy bodies such as Soviet Union-era programs, Smithsonian Institution, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, World Wildlife Fund, and regional bodies like European Union agencies and Australian Marine Mammal Centre partners. It serves as a forum linking field programs at sites including Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Sea World, and the Galápagos Islands research stations with international treaty processes such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the International Whaling Commission.

History

The association traces roots to a lineage of meetings and societies that include precursor gatherings associated with American Cetacean Society, Royal Society, Linnaean Society of London, and early 20th-century expeditions like those of Alfred Russel Wallace and Robert Falcon Scott, and institutional programs at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and University of British Columbia. Founding members drew on networks linked to researchers from University of California, Santa Cruz, University of Washington, University of St Andrews, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and conservationists associated with IUCN commissions and Greenpeace International. Over time, the association evolved alongside milestones such as the establishment of the Marine Mammal Protection Act in the United States and international efforts steered by the International Whaling Commission and Convention on Biological Diversity.

Mission and Objectives

The association's mission aligns with objectives championed by entities like United Nations Environment Programme, UNESCO, National Science Foundation, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and specialist committees from Society for Marine Mammalogy and European Cetacean Society: to advance scientific understanding of marine mammals, inform policy, and promote stewardship. Objectives include coordinating multi-institutional research programs with partners such as NOAA Fisheries, DEFRA, Department of Fisheries and Oceans (Canada), and Australian Antarctic Division; fostering links with conservation NGOs like The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International; and supporting protocols similar to those in Ramsar Convention and CITES.

Membership and Governance

Membership comprises researchers affiliated with University of Cambridge, Harvard University, Yale University, University of Tokyo, University of Cape Town, University of Auckland, Plymouth University, Dalhousie University, University of Miami, James Cook University, students and professionals tied to agencies such as NOAA, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Marine Scotland Science, and organizations like Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Governance follows models found in National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, with elected officers, advisory boards, and committees reflecting expertise from laboratories including Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and museums like American Museum of Natural History. Financial oversight often interfaces with funders such as National Geographic Society, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Packard Foundation, and regional grant programs from European Research Council.

Conferences and Meetings

Annual and biennial conferences mirror formats of gatherings held by International Union for Conservation of Nature, Society for Conservation Biology, American Fisheries Society, and European Cetacean Society, attracting delegates from institutions like Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Southampton Oceanography Centre, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, and research vessels affiliated with Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory. Meetings frequently include symposia featuring work funded by programs such as Horizon 2020, National Science Foundation grants, and collaborative initiatives with bodies like International Arctic Science Committee and Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.

Publications and Research Programs

The association supports peer-reviewed proceedings and technical reports comparable to publications produced by Journal of Mammalogy, Marine Mammal Science, Nature, Science (journal), and technical notes resembling outputs from NOAA Technical Memorandum series. Research programs coordinate long-term monitoring at field sites like Kodiak Island, Aleutian Islands, Gulf of California, Chesapeake Bay, and Great Barrier Reef with collaborations involving Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, Santa Cruz, University of British Columbia, University of Tromsø, and international laboratories. Work often addresses themes central to reports from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, World Meteorological Organization, and regional assessments by Arctic Council working groups.

Education, Outreach, and Conservation Initiatives

Education and outreach efforts parallel campaigns by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Monterey Bay Aquarium Education Program, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and SeaWorld-affiliated initiatives, engaging schools, museums, and policy-makers across networks including Smithsonian Institution, Natural History Museum, London, California Academy of Sciences, and Australian Marine Conservation Society. Conservation initiatives collaborate with policy frameworks like Marine Protected Area designations, advice submitted to International Whaling Commission, and conservation planning used by IUCN Red List assessments, leveraging partnerships with NGOs such as World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and community groups in regions like Alaska, California (United States), Peru, South Africa, and Philippines.

Category:Marine mammal conservation organizations