About 30 species of marine mammals occur in Alaskan waters and numerous standings take place each year. The primary objective of the Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network is to facilitate investigation of these strandings and to compile scientific data or to gather specimen material.

Entangled fur seal

Stranded animals may provide information on geographical distribution, feeding habits, reproduction, age distribution, diseases, parasites, and contaminant levels. If strandings are reported quickly, the network also may facilitate the rapid identification of mass mortalities or strandings caused by disease or toxicity/pollution problems. Entanglement of marine mammals in fishing gear, buoy lines, or other marine equipment, collisions with vessels, and shootings also are of interest.

Without authorization from the NMFS, the public cannot pick up stranded marine mammals. However, assistance in documenting the incident is helpful and will allow stranding network members to respond. The most important information to collect is the date, location of stranding (including latitude and longitude), number of animals, and species, if known. This information can be sent to NMFS online via the Marine Mammal Stranding Event Awareness Notification Form.

Specimens of the small or rare cetaceans, especially those that are in good condition, may be of interest to museums. Researchers sometimes need specific tissues from other species for various projects. The stranding network office in Juneau will help to establish communication among stranding network members and between museums and researchers and persons or agencies that report strandings.


For more information or to report a stranding:

Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Event Awareness Notification Form Stranding summaries, publications and research National Marine Mammal Stranding Response Program
ALASKA CONTACT INFORMATION Juneau Marine Mammal Stranding Office Protected Resources Division National Marine Fisheries Service Alaska Regional Office PO Box 21668 Juneau, AK 99802-1668 PH: 907.586.7235 FX: 907.586.7012	Anchorage Marine Mammal Stranding Office Protected Resources Division National Marine Fisheries Service Western Alaska Field Office 222 West 7th Ave., #43 Anchorage, AK 99513 PH: 907.271.5006 FX: 907.271.3030