Applicant name the marine mammal center descriptive title of applicants project a feasibility study for the development of a private association for national marine mammal stranding network members…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded The Marine Mammal Center $138,819 on October 1, 2025, under the Marine Mammal Data Program (CFDA 11.439) to conduct a feasibility study for the development of a private association serving the U.S. Marine Mammal Stranding Response Network.

The project will assess whether forming a formal association among the approximately 130 organizations that respond to marine mammal strandings would better unify the network, enhance operations, and secure shared funding. The current network, coordinated by NOAA, faces challenges including resource disparities, inconsistent practices, and fragmented communication with the public, federal agencies, and the media.

The Marine Mammal Center will deliver four primary work products: surveys (in-person and online) to gauge member interest in a formal association and identify critical needs and potential organizational structures; regional workshops and listening sessions to gather input from network members on the benefits and drawbacks of forming an association; a white paper outlining network needs, challenges, and the feasibility of creating an association; and a peer-reviewed scholarly article documenting the network's 30-year history, achievements, and recommendations for the future. The project will produce a roadmap addressing current challenges, identifying future needs, and documenting strategies to strengthen network resilience as stranding needs and response activity increase.

The award period extends from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, with work performed in Sausalito, California.

Applicant name the marine mammal center descriptive title of applicants project a feasibility study for the development of a private association for national marine mammal stranding network members this project will explore the creation of a formal association to better connect and support the U.S. Marine mammal stranding response network (mmsrn), which includes approximately 130 organizations responding to marine mammal strandings. While currently coordinated by NOAA, the network faces challenges like resource disparities, inconsistent practices, and lack of coordinated communication with the public, federal agencies, and the media. This study will assess the potential benefits of forming a national marine mammal stranding network association to unify the network, enhance operations, and secure shared funding. The key impacts include improved connectivity among members, documentation of the networks 30-year history, a comprehensive evaluation of the networks operations, strategies to strengthen resilience amid increasing stranding needs and responses, and public reporting. The project will create a roadmap to address these challenges, identifying future needs and strategies. Project objectives: 1. Assess interest in a formal association - through in-person and online surveys, the project will gauge interest in a formal association, identifying critical needs and potential structures for such an organization. 2. Host workshops and listening sessions - regional workshops will gather input from the mmsrn* members to discuss the pros and cons of forming an association, aligning discussions with existing events for cost efficiency. 3. Develop a white paper - a white paper will outline the needs, challenges, and feasibility of forming an association, incorporating input from surveys and workshops. 4. Publish a peer-reviewed paper - a scholarly article will document the mmsrns* history, achievements, and recommendations for the future. Whether or not the association is formed, the project will benefit marine mammal health and conservation by fostering greater collaboration and creating a more resilient response system for emerging threats such as climate change and human impacts on marine mammals and ocean ecosystems. -end