February 12, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
From 2011 to 2015, the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program awarded more than $13.5 million to help stranded marine mammals. The funding was awarded through 160 competitive grants to Stranding Network members and collaborators in 24 states.
NOAA Fisheries sets aside a portion of Prescott funds for emergency assistance with unforeseen or catastrophic stranding events.The program provided $999,122 in emergency funds to help reimburse the Network for 15 events that required emergency support between 2011 and 2015. A review of how the funds were allocated and spent is now available in a 5-Year Report.
For the past 18 years, Congress has appropriated approximately $1 to 4 million annually to NOAA Fisheries to fund the Program. NOAA Fisheries funds eligible members of the National Marine Mammal Stranding Network and research collaborators through grants and cooperative agreements. The funding supports the recovery or treatment of marine mammals, the collection of data from living or dead stranded marine mammals for health research, and the support of facility operation costs.