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The Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program

1992 amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) created the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP). National Marine Fisheries Service has legal jurisdiction over Cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises), seals, and sea lions. The Fish and Wildlife Service has jurisdiction over manatees, sea otters, walruses, and polar bears.

Components of the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program

• Authorized Stranding Networks
• Response and Investigations of Unusual Mortality Events (UME)
• Biomonitoring
• Tissue and Serum Banking
• Analytical Quality Assurance

What Are Strandings?

Under the MMPA Section 409.3, a stranding is defined as an event in the wild where:

A marine mammal is dead and is:

• On a beach or shore of the United States; or
• In waters under the jurisdiction of the United States (including any navigable waters); or

A marine mammal is alive and is:

• On a beach or shore of the United States and unable to return to the water;
• On a beach or shore of the United States and, although able to return to the water, is in apparent need of medical attention; or
• In the waters under the jurisdiction of the United States (including any navigable waters), but is unable to return to its natural habitat under its own power or without assistance.

Why do marine mammals strand?

Researchers and stranding network members cannot always determine a cause for strandings, however some strandings have been determined to have been caused by the following:

• Natural diseases or parasitic infestations
• Harmful algal bloom biotoxins
• Injuries from human interactions
• Pollution exposure
• Trauma
• Starvation
• Unusual weather events

For more information please vistit:

Office of Protected Resources - Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program

NOAA Fisheries - Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network

Florida Strandings here

(We provide a link to this external Web page because it may contain related information of interest to you. This link does not constitute an endorsement by the National Marine Fisheries Service of any information, products or services on this external Web site. The National Marine Fisheries Service does not own or operate these sites and is not responsible for site maintenance or data accuracy. Use this data at your own risk.)