The Congress finds that—

(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 [16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.];

(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.

(Pub. L. 94–532, § 2, Oct. 17, 1976, 90 Stat. 2491; Pub. L. 96–561, title II, § 238(b), Dec. 22, 1980, 94 Stat. 3300; Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, § 101(a) [title II, § 211(b)], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009, 3009–41.)