Congressional Briefing – Marine Mammal Health and Stranding
A humpback whale feeds in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. (NOAA)
On August 1, 2013 the Marine Mammal Commission and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), in partnership with the National Marine Mammal Stranding Network, hosted a Congressional briefing on marine mammal health and stranding. The purpose of the briefing was to provide an overview of the major trends and issues in strandings, the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program, and how partnerships between federal and private stakeholders help address challenges in marine mammal stranding response, research and conservation. The briefing was attended by a number of non-governmental organizations, federal agencies, and Congressional offices.
Browse the links below for a summary of the briefing and presentations by the panelists.
Congressional Briefing Flyer
Congressional Briefing Summary
Panelist Presentations
- Opening remarks (Dr. Daryl Boness, University of New England)
- Marine mammal strandings and implications for ecosystems and human health (Dr. Frances Gulland, The Marine Mammal Center)
- The Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (Nicole LeBoeuf, NOAA Fisheries)
- Perspective from the National Marine Mammal Stranding Network (W. Mark Swingle, Virginia Aquarium)
- The role of the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program in the recovery of Hawaiian Monk Seals (Dr. Charles Littnan, NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center)
- Closing remarks (Dr. Daryl Boness, University of New England)