Objective 1: outfit a new marine mammal rehabilitation facility that is slated to open at the seacoast science center in 2027

Seacoast Science Center, Inc. received a $130,374 Project Grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the Marine Mammal Data Program (CFDA 11.439), effective November 1, 2025 through October 31, 2026. The award supports five primary objectives: outfitting a new marine mammal rehabilitation facility scheduled to open at the Seacoast Science Center in 2027; promoting awareness of marine mammal response protocols in the Cape Ann Peninsula area of Massachusetts, which experienced an 11-year service gap; maintaining community engagement during the facility's 16-month construction closure; ensuring continued high-quality stranding response, disease surveillance, and data collection operations; and providing staff and volunteer training on current marine mammal response issues and best practices.

The grant funds operational marine mammal services and facility development at the Center's location in Rye, New Hampshire. These services align with NOAA's Marine Mammal Data Program priorities, which support stranding response operations, live animal rehabilitation, data collection, and disease surveillance conducted by regional stranding networks. The award enables the Center to expand response coverage into an underserved coastal region while simultaneously building capacity for enhanced rehabilitation services through the planned facility expansion.

Objective 2: promote awareness of marine mammals and response protocols around the cape ANN peninsula area of massachusetts, where the has been an 11-year GAP in coverage. Objective 3: ensure program visibility and community engagement during the 16-month construction closure of the seacoast science center. Objective 4: maintain high quality stranding response, disease surveillance, and data collection. Objective 5: ensure marine mammal rescue staff and volunteers are up-to-date on issues and trainings relevant to marine mammal response.