North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission facts for kids

The North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO) is an international group that works together to protect, manage, and study marine mammals in the North Atlantic Ocean. These marine mammals include amazing creatures like whales, seals, and dolphins.

The NAMMCO Agreement was signed in Nuuk, Greenland, on April 9, 1992. The countries that signed it were Norway, Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands. The agreement officially started 90 days later, on July 8, 1992. NAMMCO focuses on understanding the entire ocean ecosystem and how marine mammals fit into it.

This organization was created because its member countries felt that the International Whaling Commission (IWC) was not managing whales and other marine mammals well enough. NAMMCO believes that decisions about whaling should be based on good scientific information about whale populations.

Through working together, NAMMCO members want to create strong plans to protect and manage marine mammals. These plans should use the best science available. They also need to consider how delicate the ocean ecosystem is and how important it is for people living along the coast to make a sustainable living from the sea.

The IWC currently has a ban on most large-scale whaling, with only a few special exceptions. Some countries, like the United Kingdom, do not agree that NAMMCO is the right group to manage whale populations in the North Atlantic. They continue to support the IWC.

How NAMMCO Started and Works

NAMMCO was officially started in Nuuk, Greenland, on April 9, 1992. This happened when the countries signed the "Agreement on Cooperation in Research, Conservation and Management of Marine Mammals in the North Atlantic." This agreement itself came from an earlier understanding signed in Tromsø in 1990. That agreement was between the governments of Norway and Iceland, and the local governments of Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The main goal of NAMMCO is explained in Article 2 of its agreement.

NAMMCO has three main parts that help it do its work:

• The Council: This is the main decision-making part. It asks for advice from the other parts and then makes choices.
• Management Committees: These committees suggest ways to manage marine mammal populations in the North Atlantic region.
• Scientific Committee: This group looks at the latest scientific studies and also does its own research to provide facts and information.

NAMMCO also holds special meetings and workshops. These events focus on topics like hunting methods and important environmental questions related to marine mammals.