It is my pleasure to share the following news with the Marmam community: For its extraordinary contributions to marine mammal science, policy, and conservation, the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission has been awarded a 2010 Distinguished Service Award by the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB). SCB is the leading international professional society in the field of biodiversity conservation, with more than 10,000 members in 128 countries. The Marine Mammal Commission was created under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, and over its nearly four decades has influenced countless marine mammal and habitat initiatives, including * Supporting and guiding research leading to groundbreaking discoveries in marine mammal population dynamics, behavior, physiology, and habitat use; * Helping to lead the scientific and diplomatic initiatives that resulted in the global ban on high seas driftnet fisheries; * Working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the 1980s to create a new, interdisciplinary model of endangered species recovery team for the Florida manatee - a model now widespread in the U.S. for both marine and terrestrial species recovery teams; * Clarifying in its early years a balance between science and values in the development of the U.S. position favoring a global ban on commercial whaling - a position later adopted by the U.S. and the International Whaling Commission; * Supporting and promoting critical research on Antarctic ecology, and then playing an instrumental role in U.S. contributions to the establishment of the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources; and * Making countless contributions to science and management initiatives in marine mammal programs in every corner of the U.S. and in many foreign countries. The Commission's contributions reflect the proactive approach and critical judgments and analyses of its staff, commissioners, and advisors over the entirety of its history. The Commission continues to be instrumental in advancing science-based conservation, and marine species and ecosystems have benefited greatly from such a stalwart champion. For more information on the Marine Mammal Commission, please visit www.mmc.gov<http://www.mmc.gov>. For more information on SCB, please visit www.conbio.org<http://www.conbio.org>. -- Richard L. Wallace, Ph.D. Associate Professor Environmental Studies Program Ursinus College P.O. Box 1000 Collegeville, PA 19426 (610) 409-3730 (610) 409-3660 fax rwallace@ursinus.edu<mailto:rwallace@ursinus.edu>