Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events | NOAA Fisheries

Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events | NOAA Fisheries
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Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events
To understand the health of marine mammal populations, scientists study unusual mortality events. Understanding and investigating these events is important because they can serve as indicators of ocean health.
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Under the
Marine Mammal Protection Act
, an unusual mortality event (UME) is defined as "a stranding that is unexpected; involves a significant die-off of any marine mammal population; and demands immediate response."
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Understanding and investigating marine mammal UMEs is crucial because they can be indicators of ocean health, giving insight into larger environmental issues which may also have implications for human health. To fill this role, NOAA Fisheries established the
Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events
in 1991. The working group was formalized in 1992 with amendments to the MMPA amendments.
The working group members are comprised of experts from scientific and academic institutions, conservation organizations, state and federal agencies who work closely with stranding networks and have a wide variety of experience in biology, toxicology, pathology, ecology, and epidemiology. Core members are appointed for three-year terms and have voting privileges. International participants and federal government representatives contribute significantly throughout the UME investigations but do not have voting rights.
An UME is determined to be "unusual" by the working group if it meets one or more of the
seven criteria
. All possible information is reviewed and, within 24 hours of the initial consultation, it is decided whether an event is considered an UME. The
Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Contingency Fund
is used to help the
Marine Mammal Stranding Network
investigate and respond to UMEs. You can donate to the UME Contingency Fund through
Pay.gov
and help cover costs incurred by the Marine Mammal Stranding Network while investigating UMEs.
Contacts
For more information on the Unusual Mortality Event Program, please contact:
Deborah Fauquier, D.V.M., M.P.V.M., Ph.D.
Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Program Coordinator
Phinn Onens, M.Sc.
Executive Secretary, Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events
Publications
Document
Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events Charter
Charter and terms of office for membership.
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Document
Review of the Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Response Program of the National Marine Fisheries Service
NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-OPR-33 (2006)
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Document
National Contingency Plan for Response to Unusual Marine Mammal Mortality Events
NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-OPR-9 (1996)
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More Information
All Active and Closed UMEs
Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Contingency Fund
Unusual Mortality Event Frequent Questions
Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events
Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program
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Understanding Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events
Scientists study and investigate unusual mortality events (UME) to understand the health of marine mammal populations. UMEs can serve as indicators of ocean health.
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Last updated by
Office of Protected Resources
on May 20, 2025
Unusual Mortality Event
Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program