NOAA Fisheries has declared an unusual mortality event for humpback whale strandings along the Atlantic coast. The event began in 2016 and strandings remain elevated.
Since 2017, dead, seriously injured, or sublethally injured or ill North Atlantic right whales have been documented, necessitating an Unusual Mortality Event declaration and investigation.
NOAA Fisheries declared an unusual mortality event (UME) for minke whales from in the North Atlantic from Maine to South Carolina. This event began in January 2017.
The Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Contingency Fund helps the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program respond to marine mammal unusual mortality events.
To understand the health of marine mammal populations, scientists study unusual mortality events. Understanding and investigating these events is important because they can serve as indicators of ocean health.
