Permit Application for the Import of 5 Bottlenose Dolphins (File No. 28233, Clearwater Marine Aquarium)

Pursuant to Sec. 104(c) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NOAA Fisheries issued Permit No. 28233 to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium on November 18, 2025, which authorizes the importation of five (5) captive-born bottlenose dolphins from the Attica Zoological Park in Athina, Greece for public display purposes. The subject dolphins are all captive-born to individuals with multiple origins, including the southeastern United States, Cuba, the Russian Federation, and the Black Sea. The applicant identified three of the animals as common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and two as Black Sea bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus ponticus). The permit expires on November 30, 2030.

The MMPA has limited authority for marine mammals on public display and instead defers to the separate Animal Welfare Act (AWA), which is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS), for animal care and maintenance. Thus, USDA/APHIS is responsible for overseeing facility space, animal husbandry and veterinary care, transport, and public interaction programs per the AWA provisions. Visit our website for information on NOAA Fisheries’ role in the public display of marine mammals.

Comments

The public comment period for the original permit ended on March 20, 2025. Those public comments may be viewed via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal and entering NOAA-NMFS-2024-0140 in the keyword search. A summary of the public comments and responses can be found in the recommendation memo (link below).