$4 Million Awarded for Marine Mammal Rescue Efforts through Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grants

Authorized responders from the Seacoast Science Center take measurements of a dead humpback whale that stranded in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Credit: Seacoast Science Center.

NOAA Fisheries recommended awarding 37 grants, totaling more than $4 million, through the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Assistance Grant Program to our partners in 16 states.

Grants Awarded

Recommended recipients are from the Marine Mammal Strandingand EntanglementResponse Networks, including collaborators specializing in marine mammal health. Regional breakdown of those recommended for funding include:

• Alaska: 2 awards (total $207,206)
• Greater Atlantic: 8 awards (total $916,414)
• Pacific Islands: 2 awards (total $174,772)
• Southeast: 7 awards (total $703,291)
• West Coast: 11 awards (total $1,301,179)
• National collaboration and service projects across the regions: 7 awards (total $766,866)

Importance of Prescott

Since the Prescott Grant Program was established in 2000, NOAA Fisheries has awarded more than $75.4 million to partners. Our grant recipient partners have leveraged an additional $31.3 million. Together we have built a strong network of more than 120 trained and professional response organizations, and responded to more than 100,000 stranded marine mammals. Additional awards have funded marine mammal entanglement response and investigations into marine mammal health including diagnostics and scientific research.

These grants support a core mission of NOAA Fisheries: the conservation and recovery of protected marine species. This competitive funding improves marine mammal stranding response and investigation capabilities nationwide, and supports the goals of the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program.

More recently, Prescott awarded grants supported Marine Mammal Stranding and Entanglement Response Network partner activities that include:

• Large whale stranding events
• Marine mammal entanglement response
• Mass stranding events
• Disease outbreaks

"The Marine Mammal Stranding and Entanglement Response Networks help us to make informed decisions regarding the health of our oceans by providing real time response and data collection regarding the threats to marine mammal populations - many of which are adversely impacted by human activities and naturally occurring events that cause injury, illness, and mortality." said Kim Damon-Randall, Director of the NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources.

Notice of Funding Opportunity

NOAA Fisheries is accepting applications from eligible members of the marine mammal health community (Stranding Network, Entanglement Response Network, and authorized collaborators) for the 2025 grants cycle through October 30, 2024.