16 U.S.C. § 917 - U.S. Code - Unannotated Title 16. Conservation § 917. Congressional findings

(1) whales are a unique resource of great aesthetic and scientific interest to mankind and are a vital part of the marine ecosystem;

(2) whales have been overexploited by man for many years, severely reducing several species and endangering others;

(3) the United States has extended its authority and responsibility to conserve and protect all marine mammals, including whales, out to a two hundred nautical mile limit by enactment of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act;

(4) the conservation and protection of certain species of whales, including the California gray, bowhead, sperm, and killer whale, are of particular interest to citizens of the United States;

(5) increased ocean activity of all types may threaten the whale stocks found within the two hundred-mile jurisdiction of the United States and added protection of such stocks may be necessary;

(6) there is inadequate knowledge of the ecology, habitat requirements, and population levels and dynamics of all whales found in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; and

(7) further study of such matters is required in order for the United States to carry out its responsibilities for the conservation and protection of marine mammals.