Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events

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Understanding and investigating these events is important because they can serve as indicators of ocean health." /> <meta name="keywords" content="Unusual Mortality Event,Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-unusual-mortality-events" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="NOAA" /> <meta property="og:type" content="News/Generic Page" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-unusual-mortality-events" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events" /> <meta property="og:description" content="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." /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/s3//dam-migration/csl-marine-mammal-care-center-fort-macarthur2.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/themes/custom/noaa_components/images/open-graph.jpg" /> <meta name="dcterms.title" content="Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events | NOAA Fisheries" /> <meta name="dcterms.creator" content="NOAA Fisheries" /> <meta name="dcterms.subject" content="Marine Mammal Protection" /> <meta name="dcterms.description" content="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." /> <meta name="dcterms.contributor" content="Office of Protected Resources" /> <meta name="dcterms.date" content="Fri, 11/08/2024 - 09:34" /> <meta name="dcterms.language" content="en" /> <meta name="dcterms.coverage" content="National" /> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events" /> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@NOAAFisheries" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="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."" /> <meta name="twitter:creator" content="@NOAAFisheries" /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/s3//dam-migration/csl-marine-mammal-care-center-fort-macarthur2.jpg" 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about="/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-unusual-mortality-events"> <div about="/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-unusual-mortality-events" class="article article--generic-page"> <div class="col-md-12"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-12"> <div class="content-header hr"> <nav class="content-header__breadcrumb"><a href="/topic/marine-mammal-protection" class="link link--breadcrumb">Marine Mammal Protection</a></nav> <h1 class="content-header__title"> <span>Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events</span> </h1> <p class="content-header__content text--large">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.</p> <div class="content-header__footer"> <span class="content-header__region"> <div class="regions "> <div class="regions__vocab"> <span class="national"> <a class="link link--region link--region-national" href="/about-us">National</a> </span> </div> </div> </span> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-8"> <div class="article__hero"> <img class="dam-image img-responsive" src="/s3//styles/full_width/s3/dam-migration/csl-marine-mammal-care-center-fort-macarthur2.jpg?itok=zsLj6JrC" width="750" height="500" alt="California sea lion at marine mammal center fort macarthur" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /> <span class="dam_caption">California sea lion in rehabilitation - Photo: Marine Mammal Care Center</span> </div> <div class="article__content modal__target wyswyg-edit"> <p>Under the <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/laws-policies#marine-mammal-protection-act"><span>Marine Mammal Protection Act</span></a>, 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."</p> <div data-langcode="en" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="eddda0d3-a295-4222-8a04-31d953a3d5a0" data-embed-button="media_entity_embed" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.media_250_x_250" data-entity-embed-display-settings="[]" class="align-right embedded-entity" id="med-emb_20876663166119"><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field--label sr-only">Image</div> <div class="field--item"> <img loading="lazy" width="250" height="250" alt="A blue and white Unusual Mortality Event logo showing illustrations of a dolphin, sea lion, and manatee" class="dam-image img-responsive" data-src="/s3//styles/media_250_x_250/s3/2022-12/UME_logo_resized.png?itok=oCy7_80s" typeof="foaf:Image" src> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>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 <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/noaa-fisheries-partners-spotlight-working-group-marine-mammal-unusual-mortality-events">Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events</a> in 1991. The working group was formalized in 1992 with amendments to the MMPA amendments.</p><p>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.</p><p>An UME is determined to be "unusual" by the working group if it meets one or more of the <a href="/insight/frequent-questions-unusual-mortality-events#what_criteria_define_an_ume?">seven criteria</a>. All possible information is reviewed and, within 24 hours of the initial consultation, it is decided whether an event is considered an UME. The <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/marine-mammal-unusual-mortality-event-contingency-fund"><span>Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Contingency Fund</span></a> is used to help the <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/national-marine-mammal-stranding-response-network">Marine Mammal Stranding Network</a> investigate and respond to UMEs. You can donate to the UME Contingency Fund through <a href="https://www.pay.gov/public/form/start/59313592"><span>Pay.gov</span></a> and help cover costs incurred by the Marine Mammal Stranding Network while investigating UMEs.</p><div><div class="webdam-embed"><div class="webdam-embed-caption"><div class="webdam-embed"><div class="webdam-embed-caption"><p> </p> <div data-langcode="en" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="b5bc76f7-0dd3-485d-b0fd-1e1aafc5b536" data-embed-button="media_entity_embed" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.orginal_file_new" data-entity-embed-display-settings="[]" class="embedded-entity" id="med-emb_20876984914838"><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <img loading="lazy" width="891" height="595" alt="A bar chart that breaks down Unusual Mortality Events by cause (1991-2024). Gray represents pending UMEs, orange is human interactions, green is ecological factors, red is biotoxins, and blue is infectious disease" class="dam-image img-responsive" data-src="/s3//2024-01/UME-Cause-2024.png" typeof="foaf:Image" src> </div> </div> </div> <p> </p></div><p> </p></div> <div data-langcode="en" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="03679348-4350-4bea-b0b6-e8552c1d6b69" data-embed-button="media_entity_embed" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.orginal_file_new" data-entity-embed-display-settings="[]" class="embedded-entity" id="med-emb_20876168287731"><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <img loading="lazy" width="894" height="565" alt="A pie chart showing causes of Unusual Mortality Events (1991-2024). Infectious Disease = 15%, Biotoxin = 18%, Ecological Factors = 16%, Human Interactions = 6%, and Undetermined = 46%" class="dam-image img-responsive" data-src="/s3//2024-01/UME-Cause-Pie-2024-0.png" typeof="foaf:Image" src> </div> </div> </div> <p> </p></div></div></div> <div data-langcode="en" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="ea6091d8-dcae-43e7-93c7-8c5b7c3aac4b" data-embed-button="media_entity_embed" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.orginal_file_new" data-entity-embed-display-settings="[]" class="embedded-entity" id="med-emb_20876142097481"><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <img loading="lazy" width="891" height="561" alt="A pie chart showing the species involved in Unusual Mortality Events. Cetaceans = 55%, Pinnipeds = 27%, Manatees = 14%, and Sea Otters = 4%" class="dam-image img-responsive" data-src="/s3//2024-01/UME-Species-2024.png" typeof="foaf:Image" src> </div> </div> </div> <div><div class="webdam-embed"><div class="webdam-embed"> <div data-langcode="en" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="a01ab289-0d2e-4420-8088-e06ddc293b68" data-embed-button="media_entity_embed" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.orginal_file_new" data-entity-embed-display-settings="[]" class="embedded-entity" id="med-emb_208761226236343"><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <img loading="lazy" width="894" height="561" alt="A pie chart showing Unusual Mortality Events by region. Atlantic = 38%, Gulf of Mexico = 29%, Pacific Coast = 26%, Alaska = 6%, and Hawaii = 1%" class="dam-image img-responsive" data-src="/s3//2024-01/UME-Geography-2024.png" typeof="foaf:Image" src> </div> </div> </div> </div></div><div><div class="webdam-embed"><div class="webdam-embed"><div class="webdam-embed-caption"> </div><h2>Contacts</h2><p>For more information on the Unusual Mortality Event Program, please contact:</p><p><a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/contact/deborah-fauquier-dvm-phd">Deborah Fauquier, D.V.M., M.P.V.M., Ph.D.</a> Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Program Coordinator</p><p><a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/contact/phinn-onens">Phinn Onens, M.Sc.</a> Executive Secretary, Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events</p></div><div class="webdam-embed-caption"> </div></div></div></div> </div> <div class="article__publications"> <h3 class="article__publications-title">Publications</h3> <div class="horizontal-list__container"> <div class="horizontal-list--3-column"> <div class="horizontal-list__item"> <div about="/resource/document/working-group-marine-mammal-unusual-mortality-event-charter"> <div class="resource-card"> <div class="resource-card__eyebrow">document</div> <h3 class="resource-card__title"> <a class="resource-card__title-link" href="/resource/document/working-group-marine-mammal-unusual-mortality-event-charter"> <span>Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Charter</span> </a> </h3> <p class="resource-card__content text--small"></p> <div class="resource-card__region"> <div class="regions resource-card__meta-link-group"> <div class="regions__vocab"> <span class="national"> <a class="link link--region link--region-national" href="/about-us">National</a> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="horizontal-list__item"> <div about="/resource/document/review-marine-mammal-unusual-mortality-event-response-program-national-marine"> <div class="resource-card"> <div class="resource-card__eyebrow">document</div> <h3 class="resource-card__title"> <a class="resource-card__title-link" href="/resource/document/review-marine-mammal-unusual-mortality-event-response-program-national-marine"> <span>Review of the Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Response Program of the National Marine Fisheries Service</span> </a> </h3> <p class="resource-card__content text--small"></p> <div class="resource-card__region"> <div class="regions resource-card__meta-link-group"> <div class="regions__vocab"> <span class="national"> <a class="link link--region link--region-national" href="/about-us">National</a> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="horizontal-list__item"> <div about="/resource/document/national-contingency-plan-response-unusual-marine-mammal-mortality-events"> <div class="resource-card"> <div class="resource-card__eyebrow">document</div> <h3 class="resource-card__title"> <a class="resource-card__title-link" href="/resource/document/national-contingency-plan-response-unusual-marine-mammal-mortality-events"> <span>National Contingency Plan for Response to Unusual Marine Mammal Mortality Events</span> </a> </h3> <p class="resource-card__content text--small"></p> <div class="resource-card__region"> <div class="regions resource-card__meta-link-group"> <div class="regions__vocab"> <span class="national"> <a class="link link--region link--region-national" href="/about-us">National</a> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="horizontal-list__footer"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-4 article__sidebar"> <div class="info-links"> <h2 class="info-links__title">More Information </h2> <ul class="list--arrow info-links__links"> <li class="info-links__links-item"> <a class="link" href="/national/marine-life-distress/active-and-closed-unusual-mortality-events">All Active and Closed UMEs</a> </li> <li class="info-links__links-item"> <a class="link" href="/national/marine-life-distress/marine-mammal-unusual-mortality-event-contingency-fund">Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Contingency Fund</a> </li> <li class="info-links__links-item"> <a class="link" href="/insight/understanding-marine-mammal-unusual-mortality-events">Unusual Mortality Event Frequent Questions</a> </li> <li class="info-links__links-item"> <a class="link" href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/noaa-fisheries-partners-spotlight-working-group-marine-mammal-unusual-mortality-events">Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events</a> </li> <li class="info-links__links-item"> <a class="link" href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/marine-mammal-health-and-stranding-response-program">Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="views-element-container"> <div class="vertical-list"> <h2 class="vertical-list__header vertical-list__header--small">Recent News</h2> <div class="vertical-list__item"> <div about="/feature-story/identifying-aquaculture-opportunity-areas-california-and-gulf-mexico"> <div class="teaser teaser--small"> <div class="teaser__content teaser__content--small"> <div class="teaser__meta teaser__meta--small"> <span class="teaser__meta-link">Feature Story</span> </div> <h4 class="teaser__title teaser__title--small"><a class="teaser__title-link" href="/feature-story/identifying-aquaculture-opportunity-areas-california-and-gulf-mexico"> <span>Identifying Aquaculture Opportunity Areas in California and the Gulf of Mexico</span> </a></h4> <div class="teaser__meta teaser__meta--hide">  <span class="teaser__meta-link">Feature Story</span> <span class="teaser__meta-spacer">,</span> <div class="regions teaser__meta-link-group"> <div class="regions__vocab"> <span class="national"> <a class="link link--region link--region-national" href="/about-us">National</a> </span> </div> </div> </div> <div class="teaser__meta teaser__meta--small"> 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Credit: Tuna Harbor Dockside Market.</span> </div> </div> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vertical-list__item"> <div about="/feature-story/celebrating-veterans-serving-habitat-conservation"> <div class="teaser teaser--small"> <div class="teaser__content teaser__content--small"> <div class="teaser__meta teaser__meta--small"> <span class="teaser__meta-link">Feature Story</span> </div> <h4 class="teaser__title teaser__title--small"><a class="teaser__title-link" href="/feature-story/celebrating-veterans-serving-habitat-conservation"> <span>Celebrating Veterans Serving in Habitat Conservation</span> </a></h4> <div class="teaser__meta teaser__meta--hide">  <span class="teaser__meta-link">Feature Story</span> <span class="teaser__meta-spacer">,</span> <div class="regions teaser__meta-link-group"> <div class="regions__vocab"> <span class="national"> <a class="link link--region link--region-national" href="/about-us">National</a> </span> </div> </div> </div> <div class="teaser__meta teaser__meta--small"> <div class="regions teaser__meta-link-group"> <div class="regions__vocab"> <span class="national"> <a class="link link--region link--region-national" href="/about-us">National</a> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> <a class="teaser__image-link teaser__image-link--small" href="/feature-story/celebrating-veterans-serving-habitat-conservation"> <div class="aspect-ratio--three-by-two"> <div class="aspect-ratio__content"> <img class="dam-image img-responsive" src="/s3//styles/media_375_x_250/s3/2023-09/750x500-garret-engelke-veteran-intern.jpg?itok=R2XsM-Bz" width="375" height="250" alt="In the foreground, a person wearing a black hoodie, red life jacket, and red rubber gloves stands on a ship and pulls on a rope. Two additional people are seen in the background, also wearing red life jackets." loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /> <span class="dam_caption">Former NOAA veteran intern Garret Engelke pulls in a surface trawling net on the Puget Sound with NOAA scientists.</span> </div> </div> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vertical-list__footer vertical-list__footer--small"> <a href="/news-and-announcements/news" class="link link--cta vertical-list__footer-link">More News</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-12"> <div class="article__cardstack"> <div class="field field--name-field-cardstack field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field--item"> <div about="/insight/understanding-marine-mammal-unusual-mortality-events"> <div class="insight-card"> <div class="insight-card__content"> <a href="/insight/understanding-marine-mammal-unusual-mortality-events" class="insight-card__title-link"><h2 class="insight-card__title"> <span>Understanding Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events</span> </h2></a> <div class="insight-card__text"><p>Scientists study and investigate unusual mortality events (UME) to understand the health of marine mammal populations. UMEs can serve as indicators of ocean health.</p></div> <div class="insight-card__footer"> <a href="/insight/understanding-marine-mammal-unusual-mortality-events" class="insight-card__footer-link" id="read_more">Read More</a> </div> </div> <div class="insight-card__image"> <img class="dam-image img-responsive" src="/s3//styles/original/s3/dam-migration/mm_ume_logo.jpg?itok=CivUHkqW" alt="marine mammal unusual mortality events logo" typeof="foaf:Image" /> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-12"> <div class="article__updated"> <div class="last-updated"> <div class="last-updated__message"> <p class="text--small caption last-updated">Last updated by <a class="office-vocab__item" href="/about/office-protected-resources">Office of Protected Resources</a> on November 08, 2024</p> </div> </div> <a class="button button--secondary button--tag" href="/tags/unusual-mortality-event">Unusual Mortality Event</a> <a class="button button--secondary button--tag" 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