NOAA Fisheries is awarding 49 grants totaling more than $3,799,638 million to our partners in the Marine Mammal Stranding Network in 19 states and one tribe. These grants support a core mission of NOAA Fisheries: the conservation and recovery of protected marine species. They help improve our national marine mammal stranding response capabilities and the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program goals.
This year’s funding supports stranding network partner activities that include:
- Recovery and treatment (i.e., rehabilitation) of stranded marine mammals
- Data collection from live and dead stranded marine mammals for scientific research regarding marine mammal health
- Collaborative services that help stranding network organizations collect data and analyze samples
- Facility operations are directly related to these purposes
Since the John H. Prescott Grant program was established in 2000, we have awarded $67.5 million to partners. Our stranding network partners have leveraged an additional $28.3 million. Together we have built a strong network of more than 120 trained, professional responders and responded to more than 100,000 stranded marine mammals.
“The marine mammal stranding network in their response and rehabilitation of stranded animals obtain valuable information that improves our understanding of the health of marine mammals and the changing environment in which they live,” said Kim Damon-Randall, Director of the NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources.
For the 2022 grants cycle, NOAA Fisheries is currently accepting applications from eligible members of the Stranding Network until October 13, 2021.
Learn more about the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program
