Ocean Disposal of Marine Mammal Carcasses

The EPA has issued a general permit under the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) to authorize the transport and disposal of marine mammal carcasses in ocean waters under specified conditions. The term “marine mammal” means any mammal that is morphologically adapted to the marine environment, including sea otters and members of the orders Sirenia (e.g., manatee, dugong), Pinnipedia (e.g., seal, sea lion), and Cetacea (e.g., dolphin, whale) or primarily inhabits the marine environment (e.g., polar bears, sea otters).

The MPRSA general permit does not require that marine mammal carcasses be disposed of in ocean waters; it merely authorizes ocean disposal when there is a need for such disposals. The general permit was published in the Federal Register on December 6, 2016 [81 FR 87928 (pdf)].

The most recent general permit expired on January 4, 2024, so general permit authorization is no longer available and marine mammal carcasses may only be disposed of in ocean waters under emergency circumstances. If an emergency marine mammal carcass situation arises necessitating urgent disposal in ocean waters, the EPA would need to issue an MPRSA emergency permit to authorize the activity. Under the regulations, an “emergency” refers to situations requiring action with a marked degree of urgency, but is not limited in its application to circumstances requiring immediate action. If emergency disposal in ocean waters is needed, please contact the appropriate EPA Regional contact as soon as possible. 

Proposed Permit

The EPA is proposing a MPRSA general permit authorizing the transport and disposal of marine mammal and sea turtle carcasses in ocean waters. The proposed permit is available in the public docket on the Federal Rulemaking Portal.