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U.S. Code as of:
01/19/04
Section 1421f. National Marine Mammal Tissue Bank and tissue analysis
(a) Tissue Bank
(1) In general
The Secretary shall make provision for the storage,
preparation, examination, and archiving of marine mammal tissues.
Tissues archived pursuant to this subsection shall be known as
the "National Marine Mammal Tissue Bank".
(2) Guidance for marine mammal tissue collection, preparation,
and archiving
The Secretary shall, in consultation with individuals with
knowledge and expertise in marine science, marine mammal science,
marine mammal veterinary and husbandry practices, and marine
conservation, issue guidance, after an opportunity for public
review and comment, for marine mammal tissue collection,
preparation, archiving, and quality control procedures, regarding
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(A) appropriate and uniform methods and standards for those
activities to provide confidence in marine mammal tissue
samples used for research; and
(B) documentation of procedures used for collecting,
preparing, and archiving those samples.
(3) Source of tissue
In addition to tissues taken during marine mammal unusual
mortality events, the Tissue Bank shall incorporate tissue
samples taken from other sources in the wild, including -
(A) samples from marine mammals taken incidental to
commercial fishing operations;
(B) samples from marine mammals taken for subsistence
purposes;
(C) biopsy samples; and
(D) any other samples properly collected.
(b) Tissue analysis
The Secretary shall, in consultation with the Marine Mammal
Commission, the Secretary of the Interior, and individuals with
knowledge and experience in marine science, marine mammal science,
marine mammal veterinary and husbandry practices, and marine
conservation, issue guidance, after an opportunity for public
review and comment, for analyzing tissue samples (by use of the
most effective and advanced diagnostic technologies and tools
practicable) as a means to monitor and measure overall health
trends in representative species or populations of marine mammals,
including -
(1) the levels of, and if possible, the effects of, potentially
harmful contaminants; and
(2) the frequency of, and if possible, the causes and effects
of abnormal lesions or anomalies.
(c) Data base
(1) In general
The Secretary shall maintain a central data base which provides
an effective means for tracking and accessing data on marine
mammals, including relevant data on marine mammal tissues
collected for and maintained in the Tissue Bank.
(2) Contents
The data base established under this subsection shall include -
(A) reference data on the health of marine mammals and
populations of marine mammals; and
(B) data on species of marine mammals that are subject to
unusual mortality events.
(d) Access
The Secretary shall, in consultation with the Secretary of the
Interior, establish criteria, after an opportunity for public
review and comment, for access to -
(1) marine mammal tissues in the Tissue Bank;
(2) analyses conducted pursuant to subsection (b) of this
section; and
(3) marine mammal data in the data base maintained under
subsection (c) of this section;
which provide for appropriate uses of the tissues, analyses, and
data by qualified scientists, including stranding network
participants.
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