Congressman Sam Liccardo Demands Answers on Bay Area Whale Deaths

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Bay Area whale deaths have reached a twenty-five-year high. Congressman Sam Liccardo (CA-16) demands answers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on whether funding and staffing cuts have impacted the agency's ability to safeguard our oceans and marine life. The letter, penned by Liccardo and co-signed by the entire Bay Area delegation, raises the alarm on the unprecedented number of whale deaths and demands answers for the increasing delay in NOAA’s response time to whale strandings.

“Whale populations and migration patterns offer critical insights into the health of our oceans. When their bodies wash ashore, it raises urgent questions about what’s harming these magnificent creatures—and what’s happening in our ocean,” said Liccardo. “These deaths are heartbreaking for our coastside community and coincide with a chronically understaffed and underfunded NOAA.  The public deserves answers about NOAA’s current response to this spike in whale mortality.”

Liccardo and his colleagues have asked NOAA to answer the following:

 

1. Given the alarming number of gray whale deaths in the San Francisco Bay Area this year, we request information about whether NOAA has tested any hypothesis, developed any theory, or reached any conclusion about the (a) the cause of the apparent increase of intrusion of whales into the San Francisco Bay, and (b) the cause of the apparent spike in whale deaths.

 

2. What current response efforts are underway?

 

3. What contingency plans does NOAA have in place should mortalities continue, and is NOAA actively preparing for the possibility of another Unusual Mortality Event?

 

4. Given NOAA’s reported funding cuts, staffing shortages, and limited emergency response capacity, how is the agency ensuring compliance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the National Marine Sanctuaries Act?

 

i. Additionally, does NOAA have sufficient staff and resources to respond promptly and effectively to whale strandings?

 

ii. How has the agency maintained channels of communication and coordination between NOAA and local response organizations amid NOAA’s staffing reductions?

 

5. Why have local response organizations seen disruptions in the issuance of Congressionally appropriated funds for the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program?

 

6. How does the agency plan to prevent similar disruptions in future grant cycles?

Full text of the letter can be found here. 

Cosigners: Barragán, Bera, Brownley, Carbajal, Correa, DeSaulnier, Garamendi, Huffman, Jacobs, Khanna, Liccardo, Lieu, Lofgren, Min, Mullin, Panetta, Pelosi, Simon, Swalwell, and Thompson.