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Report a Stranded/ Beached Marine Animal

To respond to stranded (sometimes called "beached") marine mammals (whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea lions), we work with volunteer stranding networks (listed below) in all coastal states, coordinated by regional marine mammal stranding coordinators.

For stranded sea turtles, the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN), which includes federal, state and private partners, responds to strandings in coastal areas from Maine to Texas and portions of the U.S. Caribbean.

Alaska | Greater Atlantic (Northeast) | Pacific Islands | Southeast/ Caribbean | West Coast

Greater Atlantic (Northeast) Region

Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding & Entanglement Hotline

• 866-755-NOAA (6622)    
  
  

Sea Turtle Stranding & Disentanglement Network

• phone numbers vary by state  
  
  

Connecticut/ Rhode Island

• Mystic Aquarium    
  Mystic, CT
  860-572-5955
  
  

Delaware

• MERR Institute, Inc.    
  Nassau, DE
  302-228-5029
  
  

Maine

• Maine Marine Animal Reporting Hotline    
  800-532-9551
• Allied Whale, College of the Atlantic    
  Bar Harbor, ME
• Marine Mammals of Maine  

Maryland

• Maryland Department of Natural Resources    
  (dead animals only)
  Cooperative Oxford Laboratory
  Oxford, MD
  800-628-9944
• National Aquarium in Baltimore, Marine Animal Rescue Program    
  (live animals only)
  Baltimore, MD
  410-576-3880
  
  

Massachusetts

• NMFS Greater Atlantic Region, Protected Resources Division    
  Gloucester, MA
  978-281-9300
• NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Protected Species Branch  
  Woods Hole, MA
  508-495-2000
• MA Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary  
  508-349-2615
• New England Aquarium    
  Boston, MA
  617-973-5247
• IFAW  
  Yarmouth Port, MA
  508-743-9548
• The National Marine Life Center  
  (pinniped rehab only)
  Buzzards Bay, MA
  508-743-9888
• Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies    
  (entangled animals in the marine environment only)
  Provincetown, MA
  800-900-3622
  
  

New Hampshire

• Seacoast Science Center  
  Rye, NH
  603-997-9448
• New England Aquarium  
  Boston, MA
  617-973-5247
  
  

New Jersey

• Marine Mammal Stranding Center    
  Brigantine, NJ
  609-266-0538
  
  

New York

• Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation    
  Riverhead, NY
  631-369-9829
  
  

Rhode Island/Connecticut

• Mystic Aquarium    
  Mystic, CT
  860-572-5955
  
  

Virginia

• Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center    
  Virginia Beach, VA
  757-385-7576
  
  

Washington D.C.

• Smithsonian Institute, National Museum of Natural History  
  Washington, DC
  202-633-1260

Dolphin Whale 911 app

Southeast Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network (including Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands)

• NMFS Southeast Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline
  • 877-433-8299  
    
    
• Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN)
  • phone numbers vary by state 

Alabama

• Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline  
  1-877-WHALE-HELP (1-877-942-5343)
• Alabama Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network Hotline  
  1-866-SEA-TURTLE (1-866-732-8878)

Florida

• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)

  Wildlife Alert Hotline

     
  888-404-FWCC (3922)
  
  
• Florida Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network Contact  
  888-404-FWCC (3922)
  
  
• Central Panhandle Aquatic Preserve Office  
  Eastpoint, FL
  
  
• Clearwater Marine Aquarium  
  Clearwater, FL
  
  
• Dolphin Conservation Field Station at Marineland  
  St. Augustine, FL
  
  
• Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, Inc.  
  Destin, FL
  
  
• Florida Aquarium  
  Tampa, FL
  
  
• Florida Marine Mammal Stranding Network - Southwest Region  
  Port Charlotte, FL
  
  
• FWC, FMRI Marine Mammal Pathobiology Laboratory  
  St. Petersburg, FL
  
  
• FWC Northeast Field Laboratory  
  Jacksonville, FL
  
  
• FWC Tallahassee  
  Tallahassee, FL
  
  
• Gulf Islands National Seashore  
  Gulf Breeze, FL
  
  
• Gulf World Marine Park  
  Panama City, FL
  
  
• Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute- Florida Atlantic University  
  Fort Pierce, FL
  
  
• Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute  
  Orlando, FL
  
  
• Marine Animal Rescue Society  
  Miami, FL
  
  
• Marine Mammal Conservancy, Inc.  
  Key Largo, FL
  
  
• Mote Marine Laboratory  
  Sarasota, FL
  
  
• NMFS SEFSC Miami Laboratory  
  Miami, FL
  
  
• NMFS SEFSC Panama City Laboratory  
  Panama City, FL
  
  
• Northwest Florida Aquatic Preserves Office, FDEP  
  Milton, FL
  
  
• SeaWorld Orlando  
  Orlando, FL
  
  
• Volusia County Stranding Network  
  DeLand, FL

Georgia

• Georgia Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline  
  912-269-7587
  
  
• Georgia Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network Contact  
  912-280-6892
  
  
• Georgia Department of Natural Resources  
  Brunswick, GA

Louisiana

• Louisiana Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline  
  504-235-3005
  
  
• Louisiana Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network Contact  
  225-765-2377
  
  
• Audubon Aquarium of the Americas  
  New Orleans, LA
  
  
• Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries  
  Lake Charles, LA

Mississippi

• Mississippi Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline  
  888-806-1674
  
  
• Mississippi Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network Contact  
  228-549-1628
  
  
• Institute for Marine Mammal Studies  
  Gulfport, MS
  888-767-3657
  
  
• Gulf Islands National Seashore  
  Ocean Springs, MS
  
  
• NMFS SEFSC Pascagoula Laboratory  
  Pascagoula, MS

North Carolina

• North Carolina Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network hotline  
  252-241-7367
  
  
• North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries  
  Morehead City, NC
  252-241-5119
  
  
• North Carolina Maritime Museum  
  Beaufort, NC
  252-504-2452
  
  
• University of North Carolina- Wilmington  
  Marine Mammal Stranding Program
  Wilmington, NC
  910-254-5713
  
  
• Cape Hatteras National Seashore  
  Manteo, NC
  
  
• Duke University Marine Laboratory  
  Beaufort, NC
  
  
• North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher  
  Fort Fisher, NC
  
  
• North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine  
  Morehead City, NC
  
  
• North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission  
  Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education
  Corolla, NC

Puerto Rico

• Puerto Rico Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline  
  787-538-4684 or
  787-645-5595
  
  
• Mayaguez Zoo  
  Mayaguez, PR
  
  
• Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources  
  Santurce, PR

South Carolina

• South Carolina Stranding Hotline    
  800-922-5431
  
  
• Coastal Carolina University  
  Conway, SC
  
  
• NOS Charleston Laboratory  
  Charleston, SC

Texas

• Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network Hotline  
  Galveston, TX
  800-9MAMMAL (800-962-6625)
  
  
• Texas Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network Contact  
  361-949-8173 ext. 226
  
  
• Aransas National Wildlife Refuge  
  Austwell, TX
  
  
• Texas State Aquarium  
  Corpus Christi, TX

U.S. Virgin Islands

• U.S. Virgin Islands Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline  
  Virgin Islands Division of Fish & Wildlife
  Frederiksted, VI
  340-713-2422

West Coast Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network

West Coast Region Stranding Hotline

• 866-767-6114    

California

• California Stranding Network Contacts

Oregon

• Oregon Stranding Network Contacts

Puget Sound

• Puget Sound Stranding Network Contacts

Washington

• Washington Stranding Network Contacts

Pacific Islands Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network (including American Samoa, Guam, and Northern Mariana Islands)

Pacific Islands Region Marine Mammal Stranding & Entanglement Hotline

• 888-256-9840  

Hawaii

• Hawaii Sea Turtle Stranding Telephone and Pager Numbers  
  808-725-5730 (7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., click link above for after hours contacts)
  
  
• NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office  
  Honolulu, HI
  808-725-5000
  
  
• NMFS Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center  
  Honolulu, HI
  808-220-7802
  
  
• Hawaii State Division of Aquatic Resources  
  Honolulu, HI
  808-282-0155
  
  
• Maui Marine Mammal Response Program  
  Kihei, HI
  808-292-2372
  
  
• Hawaii Pacific University  
  Honolulu, HI
  808-384-4485
  
  
• Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary  
  Kihei, HI
  808-879-2818
  
  
• University of Hawaii, Hilo  
  Hilo, HI
  808- 217-6812

Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands, please contact the NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office:

Guam

• Guam Department of Agriculture  
  Hagatana, GU
  808-725-5000

American Samoa

• American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources  
  Pago Pago, AS
  808-725-5000

Northern Mariana Islands

• Northern Mariana College  
  Saipan, MP
  808-725-5000

Alaska Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network

Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline

• 877-9-AKR-PRD (877-925-7773)  

Alaska

• NMFS Alaska Regional Office, Juneau  
  Juneau, AK
  907-586-7235
  
  
• NMFS Alaska Regional Office, Anchorage  
  Anchorage, AK
  907-271-5006
  
  
• Alaska Department of Fish and Game  
  Fairbanks, AK
  907-459-7214
  
  
• Alaska Department of Fish and Game  
  Haines, AK
  907-766-2607
  
  
• Alaska Department of Fish and Game  
  Juneau, AK
  907-465-6167
  
  
• Alaska Department of Fish and Game  
  Nome, AK
  907-443-8191
  
  
• Alaska SeaLife Center  
  Seward, AK
  888-774-7325
  
  
• Alaska Sea Otter and Stellar Sea Lion Commission  
  Old Harbor, Alaska
  907-286-2377
  
  
• Alaska Whale Foundation  
  Petersburg, AK
  May through September (operates from boat)
  360-808-0579
  
  
• Aleut Community of St. Paul Island Tribal Government  
  St. Paul Island, AK
  907-546-3200
  
  
• Bridge Veterinary Services  
  Juneau, AK
  907-957-5022
  
  
• Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve  
  Glacier Bay, AK
  907-697-2664
  
  
• North Gulf Oceanic Society  
  Homer, AK
  907-235-6590
  
  
• Southern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association  
  Ketchikan, AK
  
  
• Togiak National Wildlife Refuge  
  Dillingham, AK
  907-842-1063
  
  
• University of Alaska, Fairbanks - Museum of the North  
  Fairbanks, AK
  907-474-5998
  
  
• University of Alaska, Fairbanks - Sea Grant  
  Kodiak, AK
  907-486-1517
  
  
• University of Alaska Southeast, Sitka Campus  
  Sitka, AK
  907-747-7779
  
  
• City and Borough of Yakutat  
  Yakutat, AK
  907-784-3329

NMFS National Enforcement Hotline for Violations

• 1-800-853-1964

Updated: November 2, 2015