Marine Mammals of the U.S. North Pacific & Arctic

You can help protect marine animals!

• Admire from a distance
• Report a crime
• Be an ocean steward
• Report strandings, entanglements, and ship strikes
• Adhere to local guidelines or regulations for boating, fishing,
• and whale watching.
• Keep your distance! Remain at least 100 yards from marine
• mammals in the water and on land.
• Support companies that commit to using best practices and
• protecting the oceans.
• Marine mammals are wild animals - don’t feed or touch them.
• National Wildlife Viewing Guidelines
• Whale SENSE program

Report a Crime

• It is illegal to harm, harass, or capture a marine mammal, to collect marine mammal parts, or to attempt to do any of these things - with limited exceptions.
• Report suspected violations to the NOAA Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964

Report strandings, entanglements, and ship strikes

• Keep your distance and never attempt to touch or interact with animals on the beach.
• Report sick or injured animals by calling a stranding hotline so  trained staff can respond to the situation:
  • NOAA Fisheries (877) 925-7773
  • Alaska SeaLife Center (888) 774-7325 (SEAL)
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife (800) 362-5148

Be an ocean steward

• Recycle, reuse, dispose of garbage properly, and don’t release balloons into the air. This will help prevent marine debris and keep the oceans clean and healthy.
• Cut all packing bands and netting that could entangle marine life.
• Report derelict fishing gear.
• Tell your families and friends what they can do to help protect marine mammals!