2020 and 2021 Combined Report of Marine Mammal Strandings in the United States

NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Protected Resources, Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program prepared a combined report of confirmed marine mammal stranding and emergency response activities in the United States for calendar years 2020 and 2021—a period where reporting and response to marine mammals was impacted by national, regional, and local restrictions imposed during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

NOAA Fisheries is responsible for the protection and conservation of all whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea lions under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Under the MMPA, NOAA Fisheries is charged with collecting, disseminating, and investigating correlates of data on marine mammal health. To accomplish this goal, NOAA Fisheries partners with members of the National Marine Mammal Stranding Network. The National Marine Mammal Stranding Network is comprised of highly skilled and trained individuals from professional organizations, including aquaria, for-profits, government agencies, higher education institutions, museums, non-profits, and tribes.

In 2020 and 2021, there were 5,400 and 5,524 confirmed cetacean (porpoise, dolphin, and whale) and pinniped (seal, fur seal, and sea lion) strandings respectively in the United States. The number of confirmed strandings in these years is lower than the 14-year (2006–2019) average; however, it is unclear whether the lower numbers of confirmed stranded animals in these years represents fewer stranded animals, fewer observations/reports by the public due to limited access to beaches or other activities, and/or capacity by the Stranding Network to respond. Marine mammals are important sentinels of ocean health and climate change, and responding to stranding events helps NOAA Fisheries monitor health and environmental trends that may impact humans.