Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program:
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Marine mammal populations have begun to recover after centuries of human caused declines. The Endangered Species (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Acts (MMPA) have been instrumental to shepherding the rebound in many populations. In some cases, this biological management success has led to unforeseen increases in human-wildlife conflicts. Many solutions seem to be incongruent with the apparent constraints imposed by these tools. Managers, therefore, are moved to engage stakeholders and problems solve conflicts. We propose to assess the range of marine mammal conflicts encountered by the five National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) regions of the United States. This information will inform active facilitated discussions with managers and stakeholders to develop solutions for addressing these clashes.