Our Mission

Marine Life Studies is a nonprofit organization committed to protecting our ocean, whales, dolphins, and other marine wildlife.

We do this by acquiring knowledge through ongoing research, data collection and observation, whale rescue, and sharing it with other organizations and our community so we can inspire the next generation of passionate conservationists.

the three facets of our organization

research mission:

Through Marine Life Studies Research Scientist Program, we collect photo IDs, along with written data and video footage of marine mammal behavior in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. While studying cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoise) with a focus on killer whales, we prioritize responding to reports of entangled whales. Techniques learned through our research boat surveys are utilized during whale disentanglement responses. Our Whale Rescue Research Vessel serves as a training platform for Whale Entanglement Team (WET)® members and new trainees. We encourage individuals from a broad range of backgrounds, including high school students, college interns, and passionate ocean advocates, to assist with our research surveys. Data collected during our research surveys and entanglement responses are shared with researchers and organizations, both nationally and internationally. Our vision is to facilitate a better understanding of the animals inhabiting and visiting the bay, including population dynamics, seasonality of species, and development of effective conservation strategies to encourage ocean stewardship.

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education mission:

Our educational programs encourage the public, especially children, to learn and care for our ocean and marine wildlife. Marine Life Studies provides free educational programs to schools and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monterey County. We also participate in local community events showcasing our multi-faceted marine organization. We feel that public outreach is essential to garnering environmental stewardship and conservation. Program topics range from species diversity, marine debris, whale entanglement, and pollution.  Our Take it to the Streets™ program is a pro-active conservation effort that encourages coastal community cleanup in inland areas to eliminate pollution before it can reach the ocean through storm drains and local watersheds.

WHALE RESCUE MISSION:

The Whale Entanglement Team (WET)® is a group of unpaid professionals assembled and trained for the purpose of supporting large whale entanglement response. All work is directed under the authority of NOAA’s Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program. Responders learn to understand whale behavior, situation complexity, data collection, Incident Command, vessel operations, and safety prior to participating in whale rescue events. We collect extensive data during entanglement responses that is critical to facilitate new practices, tools, and gear to mitigate future entanglements. In addition to responding to active entanglements, we have developed a new program to remove lost or abandoned fishing gear from the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). This collaborative effort is aimed at the detection and retrieval of derelict gear in order to prevent future entanglements, not only of whales, but turtles, sharks, fish, and other marine wildlife.  Although this removal will benefit marine life directly, it will be safer for mariners and vessel operators.