These national and regional marine mammal stranding overviews detail marine mammal stranding rates, trends, and activities in the United States in a given year. In 2019, there were 7,719 confirmed marine mammal strandings in the United States.
Twelve dead gray whales were confirmed in Alaska in 2020. The Gray Whale Unusual Mortality Event, declared May 2019, continues along the west coast of North America, from Mexico through Alaska.
Each year, NOAA Fisheries collects, verifies, documents, and responds to reports of large whale entanglements. The 2019 U.S. West Coast reports, and other relevant information and developments are included in this summary.
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