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There are many laws that govern the protection of all whale species. Some are very specific and designed only to protect whales and other marine mammals. Others do not even mention whales, but the protection of them is assumed into the law itself. The laws promoting the wellbeing of whales can be split into United States Laws, International Laws, and other regulations.

United States Laws:

1. The Marine Mammal Protection Act was passed by the United States congress in 1972. This act made it illegal for anyone residing in the United States to kill hunt, harass, or injure any and all species of marine mammal. This law does not specify any particular population status is more protected than another, all are under equal protection from this act. The act also made it illegal to import marine mammals or and products made from marine mammals into the United States.

2. The Endangered Species Act came into United States federal law in 1973. The act protects both endangered species and species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future. All of the great whales are listed under the Endangered Species Act. So it is illegal to kill, hunt, injure, harass, collect or destroy the habitat of any of the great whales. Also illegal under this act is the buying or selling of whales and whale products.

3. The Pelly Amendment, enacted in 1971, is a commerce directed law only. It imposes import sanctions on any nations who have violated international marine conservation policies. The sanction imposed is a reduction in fishing right for United States waters. This Amendment is further enforced by the Packwood-Magnuson Amendment, brought into law in 1979. It is worded in much the same way as the Pelly Amendment but furthers the obligation to require sanctions in all cases.

International Laws:

1. The most notable international whaling law was established in 1946 with the International Whaling Convention. The International Whaling Convention was established to oversee management of the whaling industry. Its establishment was a response to the dramatic decline in the populations of whales that was attributed directly to whaling activity. It was in 1986 that the International Whaling Convention instituted an indefinate ban on any and all commercial whaling. This however, has not been honored by such countries as Japan and Norway.

2. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) is an international treaty providing

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