The Marine Mammal Protection Act is the most important – and dare we say, our most favorite – law dedicated just to marine mammals. The MMPA is considered one of the U.S.’ landmark conservation laws – not just because it was one of the first to give protection to an entire class of species (all marine mammals, from harbor porpoises to polar bears!), but because it also recognizes the importance of the ecosystem that supports marine mammals. The MMPA protects marine mammals against “take” (hunting, capturing, or killing) and harassment (like boaters getting too close to humpbacks or someone putting a harbor seal pup in a…