Marine Mammal Commission Grants

The Marine Mammal Commission is inviting proposals aimed at developing innovative tools and methods for enhancing marine mammal stock assessments. This initiative focuses on creating cost-effective strategies to estimate population sizes and assess human-caused mortality. Applicants can be from within or outside the U.S., and projects must contribute to science-based management. The funding limit is set at $75,000, encouraging novel approaches to improve the reliability of critical data in marine conservation.

Development of new tools or methods to improve marine mammal stock assessments
The mission of the Marine Mammal Commission is to further the goals of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), 16 U.S.C. § 1361 et seq., which include restoring and maintaining marine mammal populations as functioning elements of healthy marine ecosystems. Section 117 mandates science-based stock assessments that rely on estimates of minimum population size (Nmin), human-caused mortality and serious injury (M/SI), and certain population parameters. Many stocks are inadequately characterized; emerging technologies and analytical approaches, such as satellite and UAS platforms, environmental DNA, and AI-based image or sound processing, as well as community-based science, offer opportunities to improve stock assessment and threat mitigation.
The Commission’s 2025 Annual Meeting highlighted three interconnected priorities for advancing technologies and methods to improve marine mammal stock assessments: 1) data collection, 2) data integration and analysis, and 3) application of new tools and technologies to address assessment and conservation challenges. The Commission is seeking project proposals that advance these priorities and provide clear pathways to better understand population status or to reduce threats. Proposals for projects that demonstrate measurable conservation benefits are especially welcome.
Priority Topic Areas
Applicants may propose projects under one or both of the following topic areas focused on the development and application of new technologies and approaches to improve understanding of the status of marine mammal stocks and to mitigate or better characterize stressors:

• Improving Stock Assessments

Projects should improve estimation of key elements of marine mammal stock assessments. Approaches may include the development of new technologies, innovative applications of existing methods, new analytical approaches, or community-based science.
Projects should improve estimation of key elements of marine mammal stock assessments. Approaches may include the development of new technologies, innovative applications of existing methods, new analytical approaches, or community-based science.
Mitigating Stressors
Projects should either (a) develop, adapt, or apply tools, methods, or practices that reduce human-caused mortality and serious injury, or (b) support the development of forecasting tools to anticipate and manage conservation challenges associated with environmental change, human activities, or the combined effects of both. Proposals should demonstrate potential for measurable individual and population-level benefits and have clear conservation value. Project products should be designed for integration with marine mammal management mechanisms, including but not limited to stock assessments, take reduction plans, ESA consultations, or implementation of risk-reduction measures.

Eligibility

Applicants from both within the U.S. as well as outside the U.S. are eligible to apply (including both non-U.S. citizens and those affiliated with non-U.S. institutions).