This project, titled collaborative approaches to protecting hawaiian monk seals on hawai'i island, aims to support the recovery of the endangered hawaiian monk seal (HMS)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded The Marine Mammal Center a Cooperative Agreement totaling $240,000 on October 1, 2025, under the Unallied Projects program (CFDA 11.454) to support recovery of the endangered Hawaiian monk seal through collaborative community engagement on Hawaiʻi Island.

The award funds Hawaiian monk seal response and community outreach, volunteer onboarding and training, messaging and communications, and internship program development. The Marine Mammal Center will deploy trained response interns, partners, and community volunteers to engage Hawaiʻi Island residents and visitors in actions that contribute to monk seal recovery, coordinating all activities with NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service.

The Marine Mammal Center, a tax-exempt nonprofit veterinary hospital based in Sausalito, California, operates the project through September 30, 2028. The center manages marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation nationwide and previously received NOAA funding for Hawaiian monk seal rehabilitation and related conservation programs, including infrastructure and training support at the Ke Kai Ola Hawaiian Monk Seal Hospital in Kona.

The Unallied Projects program supports fisheries science and management information for sustainable fishery yields and protection of managed species and their environments in federal, state, and U.S. territorial waters. Funding for multi-year awards beyond the first year is contingent on available program funds and recipient performance against project objectives and reporting requirements.

The project relies on trained response interns, partners, and community volunteers to engage with hawai'i island residents and visitors, promoting actions that contribute to HMS recovery. Key activities include HMS response and community outreach, volunteer onboarding and training, messaging and communications, and internship program development, all coordinated with NOAA national marine fisheries service.