The Alaska Stranding Network is a group of dedicated volunteers and organizations that help support rescue, stranding and rehabilitation efforts statewide. Participating organizations include the Alaska SeaLife Center, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the North Slope Borough, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the University of Alaska Fairbanks and University of Alaska Southeast, as well as representatives from native communities and oil companies. The Alaska Stranding Network works with the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP) of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to improve the rescue, care and treatment of stranded marine mammals; reduce the health risk to animals, humans and the ocean environment during response and rehabilitation; collect life history, biological and biomedical data from live and dead stranded marine mammals; develop baseline reference data on the health of wild marine mammal populations; improve the rapid detection of morbidity and mortality events; collect archival samples for future retrospective studies; and utilize comprehensive and consistent guidance for the rescue and rehabilitation of stranded marine mammals, collection of specimens, quality assurance and analysis of tissue samples.
Alaska SeaLife Center, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the North Slope Borough, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the University of Alaska Fairbanks and University of Alaska Southeast, as well as representatives from native communities and oil companies.