The Marine Mammal Observer Association (MMOA) is a membership-based association with the aim of bringing together and representing individuals who work commercially and professionally as mitigation professionals, such as marine mammal observers (MMO), protected species observers (PSO), marine fauna observers (MFO) and passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) operators, who implement mitigation measures to protect marine life during industry operations. The MMOA also provides advice on best practice, consultations and information to individuals that have an interest in marine megafauna mitigation.

The Marine Mammal Observer Association (MMOA) is a professional network for mitigation professionals working to reduce the impact of industry activities on marine wildlife. Our mission is to support high standards of mitigation, promote professionalism in the field, and provide a collective voice for practitioners across the industry.

MMOA members benefit from access to an active online Community and a dedicated Information Directory, both of which support peer exchange, discussion of technical issues, and knowledge-sharing on regulatory, scientific, and operational developments. The Information Directory is a central resource for all members and includes guidance documents, regulatory updates, and practical tools for fieldwork.

The MMOA regularly engages with regulators, academics, and industry stakeholders to improve mitigation standards and advocate for evidence-based practices. Through our ten published Position Statements, we outline minimum recommended standards for marine mammal observation, PAM, and mitigation protocols to protect species of concern. These statements are freely available on our Position Statements page, where a full compilation can also be downloaded.

The MMOA also champions ongoing professional development through training support, member-led initiatives, and global knowledge exchange.

We are nothing without our members! The MMOA invites mitigation professionals and interested parties to join us in our mission. Upon joining you will be aligning with our missions and vision and agreeing to our code of conduct, please ensure you have read these. The MMOA has three memberships available, these are Associate, Full and Corporate Memberships; more information is provided below.

Associate Membership

Interested parties (such as students, prospective and newly qualified mitigation professionals and company employees with an interest) are invited to join as Associate Members with the benefit of being recognised as individuals striving to improve their knowledge and work to higher standards, the opportunity to share your knowledge and experience with access to the Community and Information Directory and to contribute to the aims and objectives of the MMOA.

Associate Member

Full Membership

Experienced mitigation professionals are invited to join as Full Members with the benefit of being recognised as individuals striving to improve their knowledge and work to higher standards, the opportunity to share your knowledge and experience with access to the Community and Information Directory and to influence the future development of the profession and to have full voting rights on the direction of the MMOA.

Please note that Full Membership is only open to those persons who work as mitigation professionals to implement mitigation measures to protect species of concern during industry or military operations. If you observe marine mammals in another capacity, for example, during scientific surveys, we welcome your input through an Associate Membership. For more detail click the link below.

Full Member

Corporate Membership

The MMOA works with professional, experienced and newly qualified MMOs and PAM operators, industry, government agencies, non-government organisations (NGOs) and academics to improve the profession's effectiveness. Helping us make these aims a reality are our corporate members. To read more about Corporate Membership click below.

Corporate Membership

The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) provided the initial set-up costs for the MMOA. Membership fees have subsequently supported the running costs of the MMOA. Funds have also been donated in the form of corporate membership.

The MMOA is a non-profit organisation and all accounts are documented in annual reports, these are sent out to members during each AGM and can be made available upon request.