Agencies Failed to Enforce Marine Mammal Protections, Suit Says

The government unreasonably delayed protecting marine mammals from foreign commercial fishing, a suit brought by conservation groups claimed.

The Natural Resources Defense Council, Center for Biological Diversity, and Animal Welfare Institute filed a complaint against the Departments of Commerce, Treasury and Homeland Security and the National Marine Fisheries Service in the US Court of International Trade on Thursday over claims they failed to enforce the import provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Foreign fisheries violating US bycatch standards continue to sell product here after agencies delayed the law’s import ban without a suitable explanation, the suit alleged.

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