The John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program Report FY 2016-2020: A 5-Year Review of Federal Grant Support to the Marine Mammal Stranding and Entanglement Networks to Respond to and Conserve Entangled and Stranded Marine Mammals

The first 20 years of Prescott Grant funding has enabled Network members to expand marine mammal response coverage, enhance response capabilities and data collection, and build and upgrade rehabilitation facilities. As a result, NOAA Fisheries and our Network partners operate a comprehensive nationwide health and emergency response program that aids stranded or entangled marine mammals in distress, and monitors and assesses the health of cetacean (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) and pinniped (seals and sea lions) populations. Previous reports summarized Network activities supported by Prescott Grants from 2001–2010 and 2011–2015. This report provides an updated overview of regional stranding and entanglement response in the ensuing 5 years from 2016 to 2020, and contains summaries provided by Prescott Grant recipients highlighting their many accomplishments using Prescott funding. Using funds appropriated in 2016–2020, the Prescott Grant Program awarded more than $15.6 million in funding through 187 competitive grants to Network members and collaborators in 24 states and two tribes. Additionally, from 2016 to 2020 the Prescott Grant Program awarded $418,316 in emergency funds to assist the Network in 10 emergency events that required extra support.