(D) in subsection (f)—
(i) in paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘tak-
ing importation’’ and inserting ‘‘taking,
importation, or exportation’’;
(ii) in paragraph (2) by striking ‘‘tak-
ing or importation’’ and inserting ‘‘taking,
importation, or exportation’’; and
(iii) in paragraph (3) by striking
‘‘taken or imported’’ and inserting ‘‘taken,
imported, or exported’’.
(b) LIMITATION ON PERMITS FOR EXPORTATION.—
Section 104(c) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of
1972 (16 U.S.C. 1374(c)) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
‘‘(5) The Secretary may not issue a permit which au-
thorizes the exportation of a marine mammal unless—
‘‘(A) the marine mammal is exported solely for
the purpose of maintaining or improving the health
and well-being of the marine mammal; and
‘‘(B) the permit prohibits use of the marine
mammal for any other purpose.’’.
SEC. 5. LIMITATIONS ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PERMITS.
(a) LIMITATIONS.—Section 104(c)(3) of the Marine
Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1374(c)(3))
is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(3)(A) A permit may be issued for scientific re-
search purposes only to an applicant which submits with
its permit application information indicating that the tak-
ing is required to further a bona fide scientific purpose
and does not involve unnecessary duplication of research.
‘‘(B) The Secretary shall not issue a permit for re-
search which involves surgical procedures or the lethal tak-
ing of a marine mammal, unless—
‘‘(i) the Secretary determines that the results of
such research will directly benefit that species or
stock of marine mammals, and that such research
fulfills a critically important research need; and
‘‘(ii) 
the 
applicant 
demonstrates 
that 
a
nonlethal and noninvasive method for carrying out
the research is not feasible.
‘‘(C) A permit issued for scientific research shall re-
quire that any release of a marine mammal taken under
the permit shall occur—
‘‘(i) in the general vicinity of the location at
which the marine mammal was captured; or
‘‘(ii) in the case of a simultaneous release of
more than one marine mammal at the same location,
in the natural environment of the species released.
‘‘(D) In establishing the terms of any permit for sci-
entific research, the Secretary shall—
‘‘(i) give preference to requiring that the release
of any marine mammal taken or imported under the
permit be carried out simultaneously and at the
same location as the release of other marine mam-
mals; and
‘‘(ii) in any case in which such a marine mam-
mal is so released, require that each marine mammal
is permanently marked for easy identification.
‘‘(E) A permit issued for scientific research purposes
shall be effective for a period which—
‘‘(i) shall be specified by the Secretary in the
terms of the permit; and
‘‘(ii) may not exceed 2 years.
‘‘(F) The Secretary may extend the effective period
under subparagraph (E) for a permit if the Secretary—
‘‘(i) determines the extension is necessary for
the completion of a long-term study; and
‘‘(ii) specifies the period of the extension.’’.
(b) APPLICATION OF AMENDMENTS.—The amend-
ments made by this section shall apply to permits issued
under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16
U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) after the date of the enactment of
this Act.
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