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Protecting Marine Species during Disaster Response

Natural or man-made disasters could result in mass mortalities, injuries or illnesses to marine animal populations; damage to marine habitats; or affect food safety and public health. NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources experts nationwide monitor threats to protected marine species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act.

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Pair of bottlenose dolphins Pair of bottlenose dolphins. Credit: NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center/Lisa Morse.
A humpback mother and calf swimming off the West Coast A humpback mother and calf swimming off the West Coast. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Ed Lyman. NOAA Fisheries Permit #14682.
A North Atlantic right whale with propeller scars Right whale #3853 swimming north offshore of South Carolina on Jan. 20, 2011 with a series of fresh propeller wounds running across its back. The whale was observed 5 days previously offshore of Georgia without propeller wounds. It is unknown whether the whale survived its wounds or not, as it has not been re-sighted since. Vessel collisions are a leading cause of right whale mortality. Credit: EcoHealth Alliance (NOAA permit #594-1759).
Photograph from the North Atlantic right whale Catalog #3560 of "Snow Cone," a North Atlantic right whale sighted December 2, 2021 that was entangled in gear and with a new calf. Photo credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission taken under NOAA permit 20556. North Atlantic right whale Catalog #3560 ‘Snow Cone’ sighted December 2, 2021 entangled and with a new calf. Photo credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission taken under NOAA permit 20556.